Traditional Christian Homemakers – Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.
Let me start off by stating that women who work and have careers are amazing! Being more than a homemaker is great. But to those who have decided to make this their career, it is just as empowering as any other career they could choose to do.
I’m going to talk about something very controversial today. Here’s the thing. When we talk about women being homemakers, stay at home moms, or not having a 9 to 5 job, we see it as something unacceptable.
For example. When I tell friends, family, and acquaintances that I’m a stay at home mom/homemaker, most people don’t tend to think highly of me. At least not as high as they did when I made some kind of academic or work type of achievement.
The Response
These are some very frequent responses that I get when I tell people about my academic and secular accomplishments …
“Way to go!”
“Such an Achievement”
Your’e going places in life!”
“I’m so proud of you.”
Now here are some frequent responses I receive when share about my Homemaking and Stay at home Mom career…
“You stay at home all day?”
“Oh…” (With a blank stare)
“Sooo, you clean and cook.”
“Don’t you want to work?”
“That’s Nice.” (With a smirk on their faces)
I’ve heard it all and more! And the truth is… I’m doing exactly what I am called to do Biblically. Now that doesn’t mean that it’s bad or wrong for other women not to do these things, but I see this as my calling and my role.
Here are some truths about Traditional Christian Homemakers.
Traditional Christian Homemakers are Strong
As a whole, we see women in the work field and corporate settings as, “women who are empowering”. And while yes I agree. I see empowerment just as much in women who are Homemakers and Stay at Home Moms. They have decided to go against what society tells them now- days. They have decided to take on these roles, contrary to what many believe they should be doing with their lives.
Society tells us that we are oppressed if we stay home and fill the “Old” traditional roles. But, the very fact that we chose to make homemaking our job and our priority say otherwise. They are constantly undermined for the simple fact that they chose to stay home and not take on other roles that society deems respectable. And for that, they are stronger than what the world can see.
Traditional Christian Homemakers have a Voice
Most people believe that Traditional Christian Homemakers have no say so in what they do. Most tend to believe that they are timid, quiet women who are basically floor mats being walked upon, because we are called to be submissive to our husbands. That’s far from the truth.
For those who are Traditional Christian Homemakers, they know that their husbands (although are the head of their home) will include them and want to listen to what their wives have to say about decisions that have to be made. Being submissive does not mean I’m walked upon or that I don’t have a voice. It simply means that I understand that my husband was given the role to provide and lead. While I was given the role to care for my home and raise godly disciples.
Traditional Christian Homemakers have Value
Many people would say that taking on the biblical role of being a homemaker would make me less than of a person. I was created just as equally as my husband was, we both were just given different roles to follow. He leads our home and provides for us, all while taking into account that my ideas and my voice matters too. His role emphasizes just how much he is to care for me as a wife, because I am equally as important and was created the same as him. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:25-28 …
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”
and in 1 Peter 3:7 it shows us just how equal we are to our husbands. We were created in the same image as God with the same value. We were also given the the right to be co-heirs of the kingdom of God …
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the women as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”
Wives …
Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”
With that being said, As a wife yes, I am called to be submissive and called to tend the home. But I was also given a very important task that quite frankly makes me very … grateful that God would even think of me. God gave me the role to disciple my children. I call that one of the biggest honors God could ever give me.
Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” I was given the role to raise my children to be the next citizens, students, and friends of the coming generation. That shows just how much God values me and gives me the chance to have just as important of value as my husband.
Finally …
There are so many other things I could say about this, and again in no way am I saying that being a working woman/ mom is any less valued than what I’m doing. All I’m saying is that I was called to do this and in no way does this make any woman who chooses to be a traditional homemaker any less of a person. They are just as strong, valued and voiced as much as any other person in this world.
What do you think? This is very taboo nowadays. We don’t place traditional homemakers in the same category as women who have careers. Better yet, we doubt even call homemaking a career. Why is that? Share your comments with me. If you’re a homemaker I’d love to hear your story.
And what about those questions about the abusive husband and being submissive to him or what if my husband needs me to works. Stay tuned for more blogs on traditional homemaking. I’d love to bring up these topics as well with you.
<3 Bri
Check out my recent post Here “Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Stop Comparing Yourself”
Great post! What a blessing to be called to care for our home, husband and children. Thank you for sharing!
Right! What people don’t understand is that being a submissive wife is not a bad thing. It’s not really any different than a pilot and co-pilot working together. Is the co-pilot a doormat for the pilot? No. Is one smarter than the other? No. More capable? No. More valuable as a human? Of course not. Does the pilot ignore the co-pilot? No. But in certain situations it sure makes sense for one to be “in charge” over the other! When a call has to be made in a hurry, they know that one will have the final say so that they can be productive working together. It makes sense in almost every area of our lives for someone to be the elected “leader” for the sense of organization and productivity. Why do we not see that that should apply to our homes as well? God knows what He’s doing in this setup and it doesn’t make women any “lesser” then men at all. We make it complicated but it isn’t. It is so hard to explain to non-Christians though. I work from home right now but I also take care of my infant daughter. So far I love it and one day I hope that my blog grows enough where it is my only income.
I needed to hear this so much today. I love your biblical viewpoint and the Bible verses you picked for this post are perfect.
Oh my gosh. Amen! I just recently made the decision to be a SAHM and you are so right. There is nothing oppressing about it! We can wear a billion different hats in one day and we are dang good at it! I feel so much more accomplished as a SAHM than I ever did in a position outside the home. My family is everything to me.