by Dave Brown
Ye often hear it said ...
A woman is not
fulfilled if she does not have a career.
but Paul declared her primary role was (1 Tim.
5:14) ...
to marry, to have
children, to manage their homes ...
Let me first state that there is nothing sinful per se
for a woman to have a career, and most all women engage in business at some
form or another (please read Prov. 31:10ff, and see Acts 16:14). There are
circumstances in which this is essential. The problem is on the emphasis
what comes first? Generally, the role of the husband is to leave the home and
be the provider. There are times when he must sacrifice time with the family
in order to fulfill his obligations. This can certainly be taken too far, and
the dangers of worldliness abound.
The priorities of the wife must be different from that of
the husband, especially once children enter the picture. Her primary
responsibility is to her husband and to her children. A red flag should go up
when she starts to sacrifice these to advance her career. Perhaps the
following questions can place these tough call in perspective:
·
What exactly is this sacrifice of my family going to generate in cash?
Do we really need this money?
·
Am I advancing my career for my family, or for my own ego?
·
Do I spend more time thinking about my job than my family?
·
Have I taken this problem to my Lord in prayer?
Each household must work this out, and what might work
for one might not be right for another. But these arrangements will never work
without putting His kingdom and His righteousness first (Mt. 6:33).