Stay-at-home moms matter! It angers and saddens me that society discourages and assails young wives and moms who desire to be homemakers. This deconstruction of motherhood is satan’s plan. Let me explain.
Some critics claim that being a stay-at-home mom contradicts the virtues of the highly celebrated Proverbs 31 woman. I find this view quite absurd. New Testament Scriptures, particularly Titus 2:4-5 and 1 Timothy 5:14, show that Paul encouraged older Christian women to teach younger women to be stay-at-home moms and to manage their homes. Paul’s words suggest that being a dedicated homemaker who prioritizes caring for one’s family is a very noble and valued role. And anyone who watched and cared for children all day knows it’s challenging work.
What Scripture Actually Says About Stay At Home Moms
Now, let’s look deeper at Titus 2:4-5. “Oikourous” is the Greek word for the phrase “keeper at home.” It literally means being a homemaker, a stay-at-home mom. That’s the actual meaning of the word. More broadly, it means young wives and mothers should diligently apply themselves to caring for their homes and households as their trade or vocation. Paul was instructing young mothers and wives to make their careers as homemakers.
Paul also instructed young wives in 1 Timothy 5:14 to “manage their households.” The Greek word for this phrase is “oikodespotein.” It is similar to “oikourous” but slightly different because it instructs young mothers and wives to manage their households, which doesn’t necessarily require being a homemaker. Nevertheless, it contemplates homemaking.
How Feminism Has Defined Motherhood
Unfortunately, our society has been influenced by certain ideologies prioritizing external achievements and career success over family values. This has led to a decline in the importance God places on the family unit. Dismissing and devaluing the family unit affects children’s upbringing.
African American Mothers And Children
Many African American moms, in particular, face challenges as single parents, struggling to balance work and family life without sufficient support from their children’s fathers. This situation often leads to negative consequences for African American children. Studies have shown that African American children reared by single African American mothers are more likely to face poverty, attend failing schools, commit crimes, drop out of high school, die prematurely, and so on. So, we should commend, not shame, African American mothers who desire and can devote their time and attention to their children’s well-being by being homemakers.
No Shame To Working Mothers
In fairness to working mothers, it’s essential to recognize that each family’s situation is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Some women choose to work outside the home, and that’s fine too. However, according to the Biblical model, the ideal scenario is a traditional two-parent family with the husband providing financially so the mother can remain home and prioritize the family and children. And she’s not diminished by doing so!
In my own experience, my wife mostly worked while we raised our children, although there were periods when she was a stay-at-home mom. I desired that she could be a stay-at-home mom, but our circumstances didn’t allow it since I was either a student, teacher, or pastor of a small church, and she had already embarked on a fulfilling career. Nevertheless, she always put our family first, demonstrating that balancing work and family life is possible. She was such a super mom that our children suffered no negative impact from her working outside the house.
Final Words
In conclusion, it’s unfortunate that some Christian stay-at-home moms may think they cannot be as powerful as the Proverbs 31 woman who worked outside the home. That interpretation of Proverbs 31 contradicts Paul’s teachings about Christian wives and moms becoming homemakers. Indeed, stay-at-home moms rearing the next generation are as powerful as the Proverbs 31 woman. Hence, we should celebrate homemakers or stay-at-home moms as much as we do the Proverbs 31 woman. While some mothers may pursue careers outside the home, Paul’s writings encourage mothers and wives to be homemakers where possible. Let’s acknowledge God knows what’s best for families and society, better than feminists who seek to deconstruct what God says about motherhood ultimately. And God, through Paul, expressed His desire for Christian wives and moms to be homemakers if the circumstances are fitting.
