Where is a Mother’s True Mission Field?
Instead of God’s Word causing conviction in many women’s lives, it most often causes them to feel shame and offense. Women who truly love God and His ways aren’t offended by any of His commands! His Word causes conviction and changes behavior in their lives.
Here is a comment I recently received by a woman on one of my posts about being a keeper at home. “I am a godly woman/mom and God blessed me with the gift of teaching. I became a teacher. And, my students became my mission field. I find your articles hurtful and guilt-ridden. This hurts my heart.”
I was blessed with the gift of teaching as well. In fact, I went to college and received my teaching credential. I worked the first two years of my oldest child’s life. I was absolutely exhausted! I felt like I wasn’t a good, wife, or mother. I have asked women who were raised by mothers who were teachers and they felt their mothers gave their all to their students and had little left for them. We weren’t created to hold a full-time job on top of being a wife and mother. Something or someone always suffers.
I asked the women in the chat room how they would respond to this woman. Here are their answers:
“If she truly feels that this is God’s calling for her, why does she feel guilty?” (Kylene)
“I would simply say, ‘My intention is to share what the Word says. What I teach is not merely my opinion, but God’s clear teachings.’ She isn’t hurt by you. She’s hurt by her own disobedience. Pray she repents and submits to His Word.” (Paige)
“The guilt she is feeling is likely the Holy Spirit. God’s truth is sharper than a two-edged sword. Don’t let Satan use these pathos arguments to dull your ministry. It’s too important!” (Guisel)
“I think as godly women we are called to serve our families first. She may feel that her students are her ‘mission field’ but this is at the cost of her family. If she is feeling hurt and guilt, I would encourage her to think further about why she is feeling this way.” (Alicia)
“Teaching other people’s children can be a good thing, but not when you leave your own children to do it. Our first and most important mission field is our own children. We have to prioritize the children specifically entrusted to our care by God. God holds us directly responsible for them. I was also gifted to be a teacher, but God gave me that gift primarily so that I can teach my own children. That is the proper place for my gift to be used.” (Lindsay)
“She should be teaching her own children. Her OWN CHILDREN should be her mission field. She has abandoned her post. No mother should be able to, in good conscience, trade the well-being of her own children to pursue her own gifts. This is why she feels guilty. God might have given her this gift and that is WONDERFUL but it isn’t being used for the kingdom if it’s being used outside his perfect will. She may feel ‘hurt’ but feelings are not the truth. What’s really happening here is conviction.” (Sarah)
“Too many women are looking for a mission field because they don’t think the one God gave them is enough. ‘Mission field’ is also the term used to excuse sending children into secular schools. I think it’s become a common excuse to spiritualize unspiritual choices.” (Tammy)
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deuteronomy 11:19
12 thoughts on “Where is a Mother’s True Mission Field?”
The role of a mother is a sacred one in every human society. She shapes, nurtures and loves her children. Everyone who is lucky enough to have had and has a wonderful mother feels the impact for a life time. So does everyone unlucky to have gotten a rotten mother. Radical feminism devalues women’s greatest role, by saying it’s enslaving then liberating and her highest calling. By doing so, they belittle women around the globe, in every society in human history!!! The ones who raise the children, will raise the future. A mother’s influence has been credited in almost every great person throughout history, every ruler, king, emperor, inventor, etc etc… have gained his or her strength and fortitude through their mothers in life or in spirit…. I’m so so grateful I was raised by a mother who believed motherhood was her greatest achievement, and cherishes the role she has in my life! “To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world”… My favorite quote!!!
I know very few Christian wives and mothers who are keepers at home now. I don’t know any pastors who teach women to be keepers at home. If the woman in the chat room wants to teach, why not teach her own children? Offer to tutor a child ( in her own home) who is struggling with a subject?
The woman in the chat room IS teaching her own children. The initial comment to me was posed on my Facebook page which is open to the public. Most of the women in the chat room are keepers at home and teaching their own children.
Mrs Alexander great article! I was wondering what is your opinion about women teaching children during Sunday school or leaving worship to minister in children’s church? (Our children’s church is for age 6 and under all other children stay in the main sanctuary for during the sermon.) I am looking for some clarity. I know there is no Biblical bases for Sunday school. I heard that listening to a Voddie Baucham sermon but still many churches have them. I catechize my children at home using Westminster Catechism but I often wonder if I should be doing more to help the church body. It’s always pitch to the congregation as being more helpful to visitors and mother’s with young children. My church is always looking for volunteers in these two areas. My elders knows my conviction to be a keeper of the home and do not pressure me to work in nursery but to just focus on home. My elders have been very encouraging to focus on my home partially because I am in a mix marriage. I am a Christian; my husband is not. But I am one of the only women in the church that believe strongly in this conviction. Most of the women in our church now are working mothers. Also do you believe that women and children should just sit solely under men during Sunday school? Also if you can give me some Scripture to hold on to when I start to doubt myself that will be very helpful. Thank you so much.
A child grows up so very fast! I homeschool my children and feel the shortness of time I have to teach them all there is. Academics is the quick easy part but Godly character, God’s Word, good manners, etc. take so much of our time (even with good kids who love Jesus) I would hate to leave them regularly for large chunks of time because I’m certain I’d do a subpar job.
I know many parents are just happy if they raise Christian children, that in itself is a huge accomplishment and no guarantee in today’s world. Just look at the statistics of public educated kids who leave the church compared to home educated kids. But if possible I don’t want to raise only a Christian but a Christian who knows how to avoid mistakes in life and ones that fulfill their roles God made for them so well that God calls them children after His own heart. And because of that God can use them right away for His Kingdom purposes. He won’t have to wait until they learn the hard way how to live.
I have no strong opinions about Sunday School or women teaching children, Tiki. I believe this falls under each individual’s freedom to choose what is best for their families BUT parents must not leave all of their children’s learning about the Lord and His ways up to the churches. No! This is the parent’s responsibility.
It’s always interesting to me when women insist on teaching in church. “The Lord has given me the gift of teaching!” Marvelous, that’s great to hear! 2 Timothy 1:5 shows women teaching the faith to Timothy, and so ought we to be teaching the faith to our children. True, our children will not give us rounds of applause; we will win no accolades, nor earn money as Beth Moore does; but if not motivated by vanity this ought to fulfill us.
Exactly! God’s Word is very clear on whose to teach and what they are to teach and there is nowhere given where women are to stand up in pulpits and teach in the churches as many are doing today.
So true! I run away from academia.
God meant women to teach and to set an example to their families within the home – not in the public arena.
Thank you!
I think I might also have a gift of teaching to some extent and also discernment. In the absence of children of my own I decided to try to mentor my younger sister and write a blog with ideas for teaching kids bible lessons at home or in Sunday School. It’s not working too well at the moment, because I’m currently in my final year at school and therefore under a lot of pressure, but I hope to continue better with both endeavors once I have finished school.
There are so many ways for us to use our gifts without violating God’s Word!