Monday, February 19, 2018

Superwoman? ............. Parables 705

February 27, 2001

During the short while I was a single parent living on a farm in Central Alberta, I discovered one hard fact of life: getting a job out there cost me more than the wages I could earn.

To work anywhere, I needed decent transportation, insurance and fuel. I also needed a part-time baby sitter and a few additions to my wardrobe. When I compared the going rates offered by available employment with those expenses, the wages came up far too short.

I can testify that Malcome MacGreggor was right when he said career costs more than wages for most upper management women in today’s work force. In is the same for lesser skilled jobs. After paying for more clothes, gas, car expenses, eating out, day care, etc., there is not enough left for anything except perhaps a bigger mortgage!

My solution? I stayed home and started a small business out of my home. The cash flow was barely enough to survive but I didn’t need new clothes or huge car improvements. I was home when the children jumped off the school bus and we had enough to put food on the table.

During that time, I became a Christian. Much later, I read the biblical ideals for women and learned the controversy around those ideals. For me, staying home with the children was an easy decision, but even its mention can be a hot button for others.

Although criticized for doing so, radio psychologist, Dr. Laura applauds women for being “their kid’s mom.” She says that most women can manage to stay at home. The extra costs of going to work plus the strain put on the lives of the children are not compensated in the least by any extra income earned. She bases her values on the Bible.

Scripture does talk about women being “keepers at home” or more literally, good managers of their household responsibilities. But it also holds up an ideal in Proverbs 31 in the description of what some call a “super woman.” This super woman takes care of her household, makes winter clothes for her family, sews and sells clothing, buys land, plants and cares for a vineyard, is generous toward the poor, well-dressed herself, and has a reputation for wisdom and being a woman of honor.

Some women read that and note that she also has servants; no wonder she can do so much. Yet we have dishwashers, bread-makers, washing machines, and electric mixers. Maybe our “staff” is an even bigger help to us than hers; at least we don’t have to “arise while it is yet night” to feed our servants!

What we often miss in reading Proverbs 31 is that this woman is such a hard worker because she considers her husband’s reputation, her children’s well-being, the welfare of her servants, and the other needs of her household first. She is not working hard for herself but for them.

Sometimes I think I would like a high-paying job so I could buy more clothes, get myself a new this or that, be out there with people instead of in here with my to-do lists. But then I think about this “ideal” woman. Her children “arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” I like that part the best.

The passage ends with, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned. . . .”

Lord, I could reward myself with more ‘stuff’ but realize Your plan for my life doesn’t require that. Instead, You want me to take care of the things You have placed in my hands. For some women, that might mean a job outside the home, but for me it has been here where You want me to work hard, enjoy my family, and be content with what I have. Thank You.

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