In the Lord’s providence, I sort of stumbled onto homemaking. I devoted myself to a medical career but one year after marriage my first child was born and I felt the agony of trying to excel at two opposing roles. I knew I was replaceable in one role, but not in the other. I gave up the career for a green eyed little beauty that had an insatiable hunger for storybooks, as well as a perpetual stomach virus that she picked up at the daycare. I had the support of co-workers, family and friends when I walked away from that sphere.
Motherhood has made a comeback as of late–as a worthy interlude in an otherwise successful career, that is. But homemaking? Homemaking in its full scope remains unpopular.
Even though we have a clear mission from God as Scripture unapologetically sets forth the high priority of home, not many young women aspire to be homemakers these days. It wasn’t long ago that women thought differently about homemaking. Puritan John Angell James, in the book Female Piety, spoke of “woman’s mission……to affect society through the medium of family influence.”
Now feminist philosophy has become the mainstream, so much so that even those who would never consider themselves feminists, have absorbed and applied feminist values. The modern feminist revolution was forty years ago, but what was an indiscernible tsunami in the 60′s has crashed upon the shores of this country leaving the death and destruction of the Christian family behind it. And there is perhaps no greater evidence of the success of feminism, than the dismissal, and sometimes outright contempt for, the role of a homemaker.
Sisters, let us ask the Lord to give us understanding of the significance of this calling, as well as open our eyes to areas where we have fallen prey to feminist philosophies and deceit. All of us, to one degree or another are feminists. We all have blind spots. Far from a dead “hippie” movement, feminism has invaded mainstream thought, and is alive and well. Yet many of us don’t even recognize feminist influences when we encounter them, myself included. What was once radical is now commonplace.
Only when we compare the errors of our culture to the light of scripture can we present to our daughters the noble calling of a homemaker and its powerful effect on the world. Consider this quote from Bible teacher and pastor, John MacArthur:
“The family might survive the problems with children and husband-father if the women who are wives and mothers were faithful to their godly calling. Their influence is so strong and pervasive in the home that it can mitigate the other influences…when a wife and mother fulfills her God-given duty, she acts as a barrier against that family’s dishonoring God and His Word.”
I know many women–single, married and empty-nesters, who are quietly and without applause, starting a counterrevolution. Intelligent, creative and Christ-exalting women who are enthusiastically seeking to renovate the world by answering Gods call to be homemakers. May the Lord grant us the grace to instill the same into our daughters, through our example and training of them, a vision for this calling…to be a keeper at home.
Bambi has been the blessed wife to Kevin for seventeen years, and together with the Lord’s help they are sharpening eight arrows ages 16 to infant. Bambi is partial to strong coffee and good books, and spends her days managing a busy, happy home. You can visit her blog, In the Nursery of the Nation, where she blogs about marriage, motherhood and family discipleship.
