A Stay-at-Home Wife or Mom is Unbiblical?

A Stay-at-Home Wife or Mom is Unbiblical?

“The Bible does not support the idea of a stay at home mother; it’s unbiblical. There were no stay at home moms in the Bible; that’s laziness. The proverbs lady can be seen operating a business and earning money. She seeks wool and flax and works willingly. She sees her merchandise is good, meaning what she produces and sells. That’s why she’s known well at the gates of the city. She also has money to give to the poor. She has money to purchase a land, and to purchase food. From where does she get it, from her husband? Does it say the husband givers her money or does it say she earns it herself? So a transformed wife the Bible supports a working woman, but a stay at home wife or mom has no biblical support. The husband is not to be the soles provider in the household.”

This is a comment I received on my Facebook page from a man who has become feminized and it’s amazing how many believe what he wrote. It’s not until recently that anyone believed this but now men and women have been led to believe these untruths.

“The Bible does not support the idea of a stay at home mother; it’s unbiblical. There were no stay at home moms in the Bible, that’s laziness.” There are verses that tell women to stay at home. Older women are to teach the younger women to be “keepers at home” (Titus 2:5). “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14). “He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children” (Psalm 113:9). “She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31:27). Can you show me one verse where a woman left the home for hours every day, her children with strangers (daycare), or worked for a boss?

“The proverbs lady can be seen operating a business and earning money. She seeks wool and flax and works willingly. She sees her merchandise is good, meaning what she produces and sells.” She didn’t operate a business. She made sashes in her home, probably with her daughters at her side, and sold them to the merchants who passed by. There were no factories back then. She worked willingly in her home and planted a small vineyard with her children, so she could use the grapes to make wine, medicine, and give some to the poor.

“That’s why she’s known well at the gates of the city.” No,“her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.”

“She also has money to give to the poor.” It doesn’t say anything about her giving her money to the poor. “She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy” (Proverbs 31:20). She helps them in any way she can but it doesn’t say how. She probably cooked food for them; sheltered them when they needed a home; helped them when they were sick.

“She has money to purchase a land, and to purchase food. From where does she get it, from her husband? Does it say the husband gives her money or does it say she earns it herself?” She earns some money to buy a little piece of land but I am sure her husband is the main provider since her job is to look “well to the ways of her household…Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:27, 28). She is known for looking well to the ways of her household, not a job and providing for her family. She is busy at and around her home. It’s not her boss and coworkers who rise up to bless and praise her. No, it is her children.

“So a transformed wife, the Bible supports a working woman, but a stay at home wife or mom has no biblical support. The husband is not to be the soles provider in the household.” God told Adam, not Eve: Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life…By the sweat of your face you will eat bread” (Genesis 3:17-19).

Paul specifically writing to men: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). “But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God” (1 Timothy 5:4). The Apostle Paul specifically said “nephews” not nieces and children which would include the husbands of the daughters.

What are older widows’ supposed to do with their lives? Are they supposed to have careers? “Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work” (1 Timothy 5:10) and teach the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). I don’t see ONE command for a woman to be the provider and work away from her home. Not one.

18 thoughts on “A Stay-at-Home Wife or Mom is Unbiblical?

  1. Great post today! One thing I would like to point out, since the person that wrote this thinks being a housewife is unbiblical, can I ask him to take a serious look at the world and how it has changed since women have gone into the work force. All you have to do is compare children from this generation to children that were brought up in the 50’s and that should be proof enough that women are needed at home. I understand that if your husband wants you to work and has told you to, you are to obey him and prayerfully seek God on the issue, after all He can and does provide the way, I am proof of that. Yes, I am a housewife and I LOVE my job.

  2. Even when I was a child, culture wasn’t nearly as depraved as it is now. Everyone knew exactly what sin was and didn’t try to promote it as they are doing today. Most children were raised by two parents with a mother at home. Children need and want this. If they are taught the Truth of God’s Word, they are blessed indeed!

  3. I’m so sorry that this comment was posted, even more sorry that people put merit and weight into what he said.
    Please, be encouraged by all the comments about how honoring to the Lord it is for women to stay at home and care for their families and homes. (if they are able) That they have no desire to keep up with the rush of the world. Only the desire to slow down and enjoy the God given blessings inside our four walls, seeking only to please the Father above anyone else.
    Blessings and prayers to you!

  4. I think I’ve said before that I don’t know which is worse: seeing the devil deceive a woman or a man with feminism. Excellent Scriptural refutation of this man’s false claims, Lori. May the Lord open his eyes and grant him sight. Also:

    Genesis 2:15 – “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

    Psalm 104:23 – “Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.”

  5. Hi Lori,
    Thank you so much for your post! I have been a happily married barefoot and pregnant stay at home mom/housewife for 26 years (I’ve actually never had a “job” outside the home.) Another shocker to some folks – I obey my husband in everything! He leads, I follow and support. We have a great Christian marriage and my husband treats me like a queen. My favorite scripture is Eph. 5:22-25 v.24 “But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives are subject to their husbands in everything.” Doesn’t get any more specific than that! We kept “honor and obey” in my weddings vows years ago. I wouldn’t want to live any other way. I know my way is not the most popular way; I enjoy being the ultra-feminists worst nightmare!!!

  6. Your posts have greatly blessed me. I knew for a while that I wanted to be a stay at home mom but I was deceived into thinking that I should work as a wife until I became a mom and then I can stay at home… I went to work and I was immediately chastised by GOD, started getting really sick, and lost my job. Got another job, got sick again, and lost it. Then I got another job and a cyst on my ovary ruptured and I was in severe pain. I heard GOD tell me to stop working but I didn’t want to look lazy and I thought we needed the money so I kept going until one night I had a severe anxiety attack and I had to tell my husband what GOD had told me or I literally would not have been able to sleep… He was very receptive and understanding and I quit my job to stay at home and keep the house. I feel more peaceful and joyous, my body is getting better, our house is cleaner, food is better, and there is less strain on our marriage. And since I took that step, my husband was just recently offered a wonderful job with great pay and benefits. I was trying to get pregnant that whole time as well and couldn’t. Reading psalm 113:9 really spoke to me. God promised me a son, but I know His promises are conditional, so I must follow his will for me as a woman no matter what society or man may say.

  7. Thank you Lori for defending our decision to stay home and raise our cnildren, it is really encouraging!

  8. I think women working outside the home gives way for adulterous relationships easily. Women are often with other men closely more than they are with their husbands.

  9. This is beautiful! So calmly and eloquently written. It’s really sad how often we have to defend ourselves. Inspiring!

  10. I believe that what the post,
    was indicating is that. there are scriptures that Command a wife to do both,not just be a stay at home mom that depends solely on her husband as the provider, but also Commands a mom to make money off of products she creates from her own home (what ever products that may be,.with what ever gifts or talents God has given her) .woman can have a career that is honest bringing in income , from her own. home and take care of her husband and children. the best of both worlds.

  11. Well said. My husband is from India. The wives only work part time outside the home IF they want to. If they are the only adult women in the house hold then they must stay home. In India Mother’s in-law sometimes brother/sister and their spouse all live in the same home. In that case work in the community is okay. If you are the only woman keeping/maintaining/ cooking for the house then you need to do that as your main priority. That comes first. They don’t spend as much money that way and quality of life and family is much better. Happiness is part of the wealth that that brings.

  12. Thank you for writing this response! I’ve been struggling a bit lately (and I know I have myself to thank for spending more time reading comments on social media rather than my Bible). I left work five years ago to stay home and immediately had two more children. Now that my youngest is quickly leaving all signs of babyhood I’ve been reflecting more. I feel like all I’ve done is diapers, dishes, and refereeing. I have the head knowledge that being home is what God clearly lead me to, but even church communities doing always support it, so I ask myself lately, “am I right? Or have I gotten of track?” Anyway all this to say that you’ve encouraged and reaffirmed the truths in my heart and I thank you for it.

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