God is so good. I do not think you would find my children feeling this
way years ago. Why? Well, years ago I thought my job was an endless,
mindless series of boring tasks that led to nowhere. I lived what I
thought. What changed all that for me? I think you know what I am going
to say. ~Smile~ The blessed, blessed Word of God.
I was thinking the other day about how my children felt about my job.
They think that way because of the change in my life, therefore the
change in my attitude towards the work God has called me to do. Isn't
that the way it is with Christianity as well? When I am in love with
Jesus Christ, my LORD, then my children see the results of that First
Love in every area of my life. Including my life's work.
And homemaking is indeed my life's work. I might do other work in the
church, but my life's work is homemaking. Making a home glorifies my
LORD, brings respect and love to my husband, and wraps my children and
upcoming grandchildren in love and security. It is a blessed calling! I
remember the day that my job changed for me. It was the day that I read
these verses and finally understood my priorities in God's Kingdom,
according to God's chosen plan for me.:
Priority #1: God. If He was not number one in my life then I would not
desperately want to obey His teaching through His beautiful Word.
Including these life changing verses taught in 1 Timothy.
"Let a widow be put on the list only if she is not less than 60 years
old, having been the wife of one man,"
Priority # 2: My husband. He must be first under my LORD and Savior. God
has placed him as my head as taught in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16.
(A widow would be taken care of by the church, if need be, if she had
lived a godly life exemplified in these verses. These were the priorities
she must have lived, Paul wrote, before taking on her care by the
church.)
"having a reputation for good works: and if she has brought up children,"
Priority #3: My children. Bringing them up in the nurture and admonition
of the LORD is one of my primary good works. Not only does it build up my
children in the faith, but it brings respect to my husband as well. And
"a wife must see to it that she respects her husband."
"if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints'
feet,"
Priority # 4: My Home. These two items would be done in a woman's home.
It was the place she prepared for her husband, her children, and those He
brought her way, which included extended family, strangers, and those in
the Body of Christ. "A wise woman builds up her house." There is so much
wisdom in those few Words.
"if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to
every good work." 1 Timothy 5: 9-10
Priority #5: The Body of Christ. Taking care of the needs of those that
the LORD brings my way in the Body of Christ. Some of this might be done
at church, at their home, or in my home. The LORD has prepared these good
works for me before the foundation of the world, so He can lead me in
them, at His pace, each step of the way.
In case I didn't get my priorities right the first time in this passage,
they are repeated again in verse 14: God wrote this through Paul, so my
first priority is Him.
#1 The Word: My God
"Therefore, I want younger widows to:
#2 "Get married:" My husband
#3 "Bear children:" My children
#4 "Keep house:" My home
#5 "Give the enemy no occasion for reproach:" My good works done for the
Body of Christ.
Now maybe you're not quite convinced that these are indeed your
priorities. Let's go over to Titus 2 and see the priorities listed there.
#1 Again, God inspired this verse through Paul: My God
"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious
gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may
encourage the young women to:
#2 "Love their husbands:" My husband
#3 "Love their children:" My children
#4 "To be sensible, pure, workers at home:" My home
#5 "Being subject to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be
dishonored:" My building up the Body of Christ through godly submission.
This means doing those good works that my husband agrees will be
profitable for those involved.
I cannot tell you how much my life has changed since I realized my
priorities. I used to be running here and running there trying to please
all these people in my life. Often resulting in much guilt because, of
course, I could not please everyone. Once I realized what my top
priorities were, and saw them exemplified in the Proverbs 31 chapter, and
also in 1 Peter 3:1-6, my life got so much more peaceful.
No more was I agreeing to just anything because it seemed "so right" and
it must be what God wanted me to do because it "was just so right." Then
when I would find my husband upset with me, I would cry out to God
wondering why I was in such a mess. Couldn't Art see the good I was doing
for my LORD?! No. All he could see was a messy house, nothing planned for
dinner, a tired wife, and our household all out of sorts. No "pure and
respectful behavior," motivated out of a deep love for God, that moved
him to obey The Word. Rather, the other way around.
My priorities were all out of whack and the good that I was trying to do
was undermining my own household. No ministry or work should ever come
before my LORD, my husband, my children, or my home. If this happens, I
could see my marriage crumble or my home disassemble. Then where would
the ministry or the work be in my life? No wonder God says at the end of
both verses after listing my priorities, "that the Word of God may not be
dishonored" and "that you give the enemy no occasion for reproach." A
godly woman's response to these verses is of the utmost importance to her
family's spiritual, physical, and emotional well being.
Presently I clean the church once a week with my children. I work in the
church library with my husband and my children. I speak occasionally. I
write these letters to you once a week. And I do special projects with my
husband at church when they come up. I am probably busier than I was
before, since I also homeschool my children. Why can I do these things
now without all the distress found in the above paragraph? Well, I have
finally come to understand my top priorities. I must spend a precious
time alone with the LORD each day. Apart from Him, I will have no fruit.
But with Him, the tree is green and loaded for picking! Jesus Christ is
my first love. I do not agree to anything unless I pray to the LORD, and
then talk to my husband about it next. Sometimes I do not even need to
ask my husband, as it does not filter at all through my top five
priorities. So I have to say, "No." Sometimes I can say, "Yes" right away
for I know my husband's thoughts on the matter, and I have been praying
about it for some time. The Word of God has simplified things for me more
than I can say by helping me understand just what God deems profitable in
my life. Now I can thrust myself into what is truly important.
#1 My God
#2 My Husband
#3 My Children
#4 My Home
#5 My good works done to build up The Body
I have such peace. I know this is what "counts" in God's eyes. This is
what is important to Him. Guess what? My home is richer for it. I have
only seen blessing upon blessing since I began to obey these verses in
earnest. I have learned more than I ever dreamed possible these past six
years. And I know He has so much more for me. I am His sponge. I love to
soak it all up!
Yes, most of what I do is hidden work. Yes, it is not esteemed by man.
But it is honorable work to my Father. So honorable that he wrote 21
verses about it in Proverbs 31. No other work is more detailed in the
Bible concerning a woman of God. I have no doubt that God will bring all
of my work to fruition. Why? Because He says so, and because I do it all
for Him.
"But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30b
Now I work with more joy than I ever dreamed possible! He is doing His
Word through me by His Holy Spirit. No longer am I looking for the
praise of the world through the eyes of those around me. I understand
well what He deems as "good and profitable" in my life. And with great
relish and excitement, I follow His leading in being a wife, mother, and
homemaker, while I seek to help build up His Body for His glory.
Love,
Laine