- HOW do you keep your house clean all the time?
- HOW do you make most of your food and snacks homemade?
- HOW do you spend so little on groceries?
- HOW do you homeschool and do all these things?
- HOW did you learn to do all these things?
- HOW, HOW, HOW........?
It isn't just an occupation to be a homekeeper, it is a duty to be at home, managing our home and making it better. We should never attain and say we don't need to learn, we should always be learning and bettering ourselves and our skills to make our calling as homekeepers worthy, so we don't give an occasion for reproach upon Christianity and so that the word of God be not blasphemed. (1 Timothy 5 & Titus 2)
The common criticism of those against our church and the women being at home are based on some truths sadly. They have seen "homekeepers" who don't keep their home, their homes are filthy and they eat off ramen and hot dogs and throw their kids around never spending time with them. There are women who work that still find time to make homemade foods for their family and keep their house and then they look at women that are supposed to be at home all day and see how lazy they are, NO WONDER they stay on the job! What do they have to look at? What example are they given?
The neglect of your duty, your calling as a woman, only shames the gospel. We are to be examples and testimonies that what God called a woman to be is right. HOW can others see that when you have no works to show? You should be working an 8-hour day inside your home. Your husband is out all day working so you can stay home and do what? Feed your face, facebook and play games!? Have you earned your keep lately?
So the answer to all the "hows" and the flattery of how great I am because I can do all this is really a farce - I'm not anything great, I just DO. If others would DO, they wouldn't think it so "great" to make homemade things and keep a clean house. It isn't some special gift that I have - it's not being lazy and doing what we are supposed to and I don't need any praise and I actually loathe when people flatter me, I try and make them stop. For real, I should be doing way more! If we truly work 8 hours a day at our "job" - we should have something to show for it right?
If you got paid for being a homekeeper, how much do you think you are worth? That is something you really have to think about. My husband expects me to keep the house managed, provide healthy homemade meals most of the time and teach our daughter - I can't do that if I'm not at home. I'm tired of others thinking I'm something when this should be the "norm" for homekeepers. If homekeepers were truly at home DOING, they wouldn't think I'm some sort of rare, gifted being. If you set the bar at Jesus, we are all nothing. I compare myself with Jesus and I see how far I have to go and how nothing is nothing great about me, besides Jesus.
It is time we put in the time and then the "hows" will come! Are you worthy of your hire? Are you shortchanging your employer; your husband? Are you taking a free ride by doing nothing and being lazy all day? Are you neglecting your own family to be with friends? Do you do good deeds outside the home for the applaud of men but nothing good for your family inside the home for those that matter most?
Clark's commentary is spot on:
Keepers at Home - A woman who spends much time in visiting, must neglect her family. The idleness, dirtiness, impudence, and profligacy of the children, will soon show how deeply criminal the mother was in rejecting the apostle’s advice. Instead of οικουρους, keepers of the house, or keepers at home, ACD*EFG, and several of the Itala, have οικουργους, workers at home; not only staying in the house and keeping the house, but working in the house. A woman may keep the house very closely, and yet do little in it for the support or comfort of the family.
That the word of God be not blasphemed - The enemies of the Gospel are quick-eyed to spy out imperfections in its professors; and, if they find women professing Christianity living an irregular life, they will not fail to decry the Christian doctrine on this account: “Behold your boasted religion! it professes to reform all things, and its very professors are no better than others! Our heathenism is as good as your Christianity.” These are cutting reproaches; and much they will have to answer for who give cause for these blasphemies.
This doesn't mean you can't ever leave your home, obviously you do for church, shopping and fellowship but the majority of your time, your job, is at home! Don't give an occasion; a place; reason; for others to decry the gospel and our doctrine! Rather, give them reason to see Jesus in you by your works, love, diligence, discipline and the role God designed us for will shine as the stars of heaven before all!
The question is: Is God glorified by your life before others or have you given an opportunity to the enemy to reproach God's calling for women?
"See how the little busy bee Improves each shining hour, And gathers honey all the day From every opening flower! In works of labor or of skill, We should be busy too; For Satan finds some mischief, still, For idle hands to do." Dr. Watts.