The Role of men and Women in a Family
[fatherhood_fridays]
This past week I took part in a discussion on Dad Blogs about the Stay-At-Home-Dad. As usual I got flamed for my traditional views of the role of men and women within a family. At no time during that discussion did i ever say being a SAHD was a bad thing. It is simply a choice some families make. Weather it is the right choice is up for debate.
One of the points made during the discussion was that I cite the bible for my views and values. That is the way I was brought up and I will continue to do that, whether people like it or not. More Christian believers need to take a sand for what the bible tells us is the right thing to do.
With those two points in mine, I want to expand on my views and the biblical context of those views. I am going to narrow my ranting today to just the aspect of men and women’s role in the family and workforce.
The first argument some people have is that women should stay at home and never work. The bible does not teach this. The bible teaches that a woman main responsibility is to her husband and raising of the family. If she can keep up a good loving home for her family than it is fine to work outside of the house. My wife does not work by choice, I do not forbid her from working. All I truly ask is that our children are cared for when I am not their to care for them. It is not a sin for women to work, feel free to have careers of your own, as long as you can maintain a loving, nurturing environment for you family. (1 Timothy 2:15) Nurturing is the main biblical role of the woman within the family. the bible does not say it is the only role.
In Genesis 3:17-19 God cursed man to work, it is our punishment for the beginning of sin. The passage does not tell us that we must work outside the home. What it does tell us is that one biblical responsibility of men is to provide food for their families. Men who do not work and toil are surking part of their responsibilities, but it does not say how you must work to provide this food. Parenting is work also, homemakers often work very hard to maintain a house. SAHDs still work for their food by the sweat of their brow.
The True main responsibility of a man is to be the head of the house and a Spiritual leader within the home (Genesis 18:19). In todays age the term Head of House is used for financial and tax definitions as the main homey maker of the family. This is not how the bible views the Head of house. As the man it is your duty to take responsibility, both financially and spiritually, for your family. No where in the bible does it say you must be the money maker. It is your job as a man to protect your family and make sure they are provided for. If you can better provide for you family by allowing you wife to be the”Bread Winner” so be it. Just remember that you. as a man, are ultimately responsable for what happens within your family.
God commands that we work to the best of our abilities, as if everything we do is done for God (Colossians 3:23–24). The bible does not truly separate men or women in this respect. Both men and women should work to the best of their abilities in whatever line of your you do. Weather you are a ditch digger or a homemaker, do it to the best of you ability.
In the end whether you are a SAHD or a working mother, there are still biblical responsibilities that should come first over all other. As a woman it is your duty to provide a nurturing home for you family. This should come before working outside the home. Care for your children. Men are given the role and responsibility of control over the house. You are to discipline your children and be sure that your family is provided for physical and spiritually.
It is not my place to judge anyone (Matthew 7:3, Luke 6:37). I provide for my family by working outside the house, and my Teresa maintains a nurturing and loving home for my and the girls. Nowhere in the bible does it say who must be the primary money maker of a family. What is does give us is the biblical primary roles of both the mother and father, husband and wife.
A traditional family places both men and women into the biblical roles, while a SAHD and working mother often reverse them. A SAHD becomes the Nurturer, taking the biblical position given to women, while a Working Mother often becomes the Head of the house taking charge and responsibility for the family. If you are a Christian and able to keep the biblical roles for men and women straight feel free to run your home how you want. If you are not Christians I will pray for you, but I will not try and correct you.
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