Double Duty

A Woman’s Duty: Working Inside and Outside the Home

We live in a patriarchal society, but there is a growing opposition to those standards. Society has told us (although there is still some opposition) that we are equal to men and that we should be able to do as we please. Women have gained a new level of independence that was once unheard of. Having the opportunity to, and in many cases, the necessity to, has created a culture of women who spend less time in the home attending to their families and more time at work or school, seeking to advance their careers and open new doors of opportunity. While, in some cases, it is necessary for a woman to have a career to contribute to the family income, it is also necessary to not forget the number one priority. Working wifes and mothers often have limited time at home, house chores pile up, meals are always on-the-go, family time consists of a few minutes before school/work in the mornings and a few minutes before bed at night. I am not implying that working women are responsible for the decline in American family values, I am simply noting the importance of placing one’s emphasis on the family before other things.

I fully believe that a woman can attend school or work outside the home and still adequately care for her family and maintain her home. It might not be easy, but was it meant to be? The Virtuous Woman was up before sunrise in the morning and was still up working after others retired at night. She worked tirelessly, and enjoyed her work. Nowadays, women complain so much about doing the things we need to do, although we have been blessed with so many conveniences to make it more manageable. We will make time for the things that we want (hair appointments, favorite TV shows, outings with friends, etc.) but will claim to be too busy and not have time to attend to our homes or spend quality time (one-on-one interaction, not passive activities).

In Learning the Way, I discussed my passion for being a new wife and my intention to live according to God’s word. There is a lot of inconsistency when it comes to a woman’s role, and there is a population that is increasingly resistant to the way we were made. Woman was made from man, to be his companion and helper. Not necessarily “less than” him, but part of him. We were made different by purposeful design, and while other things in the world around us might change, I do not believe that is one of them. Many women feel that they should have the opportunity to do anything that a man can do, and in some cases, we do. I would not argue that a woman should not be able to vote or walk alone in public. This is not as much about “rights” as it is about “roles.” Even if we choose to do other things, we should still ensure that our family is our priority.

I have been putting a lot of thought into my own life and my priorities. I have been reading and studying to ensure that I am on the right path and to verify that I am making the right decisions. I am a believer in and advocate of living according to God’s plan–being a Virtuous Woman. We were given these guidelines for a reason, and I know that if I do things according to His plans, then I can’t go wrong.