“What does the Bible say about women working outside the home?”

“Women belong in the home. Men belong at work. Any questions femi-nazis?”

“The Wife’s responsibility to the Husband”

I am struck that after 2,000 years of study and scholarship there is so much stigma surrounding women who work outside the home, or who lead, or are strong. I am gobsmacked that in this day and age I am labelled a “femi-nazi” for believing it is a woman’s right to work outside the home. Do we really need to name call? Do we really need to demonise people? To label me a “femi-nazi” for disagreeing puts me, by association, amongst the murderers of millions. By disagreeing, I am likened to those who wantonly gassed millions of people to death. That’s a pretty strong label.

Many put a “God-sticker” on their viewpoint as a power-play or so they can feel good about their position. This particular viewpoint however is not God’s viewpoint at all, merely an outmoded, de-contextualised piece of rhetoric with a spiritual façade. Once someone says “God said it” (and worse yet, “…and if you don’t believe it you’re not a ‘good’ Christian”), it’s hard for someone without training to refute the arguments put forth.  Not only that, but by saying “God said it, and if you don’t believe then…” it tells the reader who disagrees that they don’t have Godly thoughts… and because they don’t have Godly thoughts they’re ineligible to enter the conversation.

Rhetoric that states women belong at home says that at the bottom of the stairs there is happiness, love, flowers, children—an idyllic world (see feature image). At the top of the stairs—for those women who dare step beyond their allotted boundaries—is success, but at a cost. They may gain what they want, but there is a price to pay. They are sure to lose love, and their marriage and family will fall apart. Their idyllic world will crumble and they will be alone, looking back on what could have been with remorse. Really?

First of all, the Bible says that men and women are equal. Secondly, men are not the boss of women. Women do not have to stay home and live to make their man happy. Rather, spouses are to voluntarily submit to each another—which basically means the marriage works best when spouses honour and respect each other and do what is good for the “unit”.  Thirdly, many women are fully equipped and wired to lead and have the full support of Jesus Himself, as well as the Apostle Paul. (Jesus had female disciples and Paul encouraged women to lead and teach, yet people take them out of context to promote their own agenda).

So for women who are wired to work and lead… make the most of it, use your time wisely, and go forth and do great things. And for those women who are wired to stay at home… make the most of it, use your time wisely, and go forth and do great things.

A woman’s place is in the home where she is cherished.

“… mothers stay home and rear the children. This might often be considered a thankless job. This is an area in which you can excel. As he earns the living and supports the family, you take care of the children while he is gone to work and make the house comfortable by keeping it pleasant and enjoyable” as found here.

How much of this is cultural conditioning and how much is actually based on the true heart of God? Are women who work not allowing “their men” to be the “true head of the home”?

Jesus was pro-woman. He taught women and had female disciples during a period when most women were uneducated. He elevated women to a place of dignity, respect and equality with men.

Many people who state that a woman’s place is in the home use Proverbs 31 as part of their argument. Prov.31 describes an “ideal woman” or “virtuous wife”. What gets me is that the Proverbs 31 woman is a working woman! She has a home business making textiles (v.13). She is involved in commerce (v.24) including real estate and agricultural development (v.16)… and she gives back to the community using money she has made in her various enterprises (v.20).  This woman is praised for her character but much of the focus here is on her successful industriousness in the marketplace. This is the heart of God here.

Some women are very comfortable in the role of homemaker. I fully encourage them in this. Such women often make incredible contributions to their family and community. Other women, as the image above shows, die in this role. It is a death of spirit, a death of dreams, a death of what they actually feel they were designed for. To say a woman’s place is in the home ignores the fact that some women are not married, or have no children, or desire no children, or have interests outside of family.

To suggest that the highest calling of a woman is to have children or a family is not a Biblical view. It is not God’s heart for women.  Rhetoric declaring that families would be destroyed if women are given the freedom to pursue things outside the home is just that: rhetoric. It has no real Biblical foundation at all.  Worse yet, to flood the world with images of mothers cuddling their child along with spouting such rhetoric is manipulative propaganda. Are such propagandists daring to suggest that these precious moments cannot occur outside work hours?

I would suggest that a woman’s place is, as the picture highlights, “Wherever she makes good”. That is God’s heart… and if you read the Bible in context, you just might see this.

Previous posts on Gender Roles:

Gender roles: the Bible says that women are equal to men.

Gender roles: What does the biblical term “headship” really mean?

Gender roles: On the “weaker sex” and what is really meant by a “gentle and quiet spirit”

Gender roles: Really? Should women be silent?

I’m a problem-solver. I like to contemplate, wrestle with difficult “topics” and work them through so that I can understand them better. I want to be able to “own” what I believe and share meaningfully with others. I want my spirituality to be authentic, transparent, beautiful and loving. I have seen first-hand a lot of the “bad stuff” occurring in Christian circles, so I very much understand the bad press. However, I know that finger-pointing and problem-solving approaches to issues often don’t help set things to right.

Christian spirituality is currently undergoing massive change. Popular research on Christian spirituality in the West tells us that people are leaving the Christian church en mass. Many are tired, or suspicious, of institutionalised religion. While the Christian church is in decline in the West, spirituality and religious beliefs in various forms are flourishing at an unprecedented rate. This tells us that people are still being drawn to something greater than themselves.

With all of this in mind, I have set out to conduct an appreciate inquiry into Christian spirituality. I am giving a nod to Gandhi as I strive to “be the change I want to see in the world”.

I’m doing this by gathering stories. Why? Because if we want to change the world, we first have to change the story.

“Stories…inform, inspire, teach… guide us, show us possibilities, open our hearts, make us laugh, and clarify all aspects of life while healing and transforming. We are, all of us, living stories, eager to find our own voices by which we can be known to others… Story is a tool for making us whole; stories gather up the parts of us and put them together in a way that gives our lives greater meaning than they had before we told our story. Story is a tool for self-discovery; stories tell us new things about ourselves that we wouldn’t have been as aware of without having told the story.”—The Gift of Stories, Robert Atkinson.

I am conducting arts-based research, so my research will largely be presented via the arts (e.g. mixed media, poetry etc.). In other words, I’ll act as a story broker, who draws upon multiple stories that primarily come out of the inquiry.

This will work a treat as we live in such a media driven society where hearing and reading often play a secondary role. I’m thrilled to be able to present via this method because the expressivity of the artwork will provide you all with the opportunity to participate in events or stories in which you may not otherwise engage.

It’s an exciting project. You don’t have to be a “Christian” or “religious” to share your stories and ideas. And the benefit of sharing is that the process helps you reflect on your own journey–and I give you a unique representation of your spirituality after you share.

While the process of putting the Reimagining Narratives website together was long and arduous, it was also fun and challenging… and I enjoy a challenge.

When thinking about the design for the website, I had a couple of things in mind. Firstly, most surveys are bland looking, despite many people being visually-oriented. Secondly, I am doing arts-based research and even though I’m not getting graded on the look and feel of my survey tool, I really did want it to be as enjoyable and rewarding as possible for those participating, so months of work have gone into its development.

All the images below highlight the art and design elements of the web questionnaire tool. You might notice as you look through the screens how the book at the bottom of the screen unfolds the more you share your story. I’m pretty happy with the look and feel of this questionnaire. I have had a lot of positive responses to it too, which is nice. I hope you enjoy… and I hope you’ll join me on the journey and look forward to hearing from you.

Some of these mannequins were being moved around and were naked. They looked great all piled up but I was not allowed to photograph them unless they were clothed. The owner was particularly protective of the fire damaged mannequin. She said there was no way she could sell her and put a veil over her burnt face to “protect her”. I thought this was such a shame. That burnt face had a raw beauty about it that drew me in. Every year, thereafter I’d ask if I could buy her mannequin and every year I was turned down. The mannequin was put in a dusty shed with a bunch of other mannequins: locked away and protected, her life cut off from her intended purpose.

I recently made contact with the owner who had moved out of town and she said she’d sell me her mannequin but on the day she reneged. Had it not been for a reporter sitting nearby looking for a story who sold the owner on the idea of selling the mannequin to me, I’d still be left hanging. The reporter—Jennifer—said to me, “Wow, you must really want that mannequin”, in such a way as to make me sound desperate. I said, “Yes, I’d like her, but not enough to pay exorbitant sums of money. I am prepared to walk away. I’m just patient”.

I’ve never described myself as being patient before. I want everything done yesterday. I’ve been described as driven and passionate—which I’m not sure I agree with—but I do like to get things done. However, I am disciplined (in some areas) and I don’t mind waiting for those things that I want. I waited five years to find the perfect chair for my reading area. I figure why pay for a different chair that I don’t like and will replace anyway, when I can wait for the perfect chair to come along. Same with the mannequin. Sure, I could buy a different mannequin, but it wouldn’t have been “this” mannequin and I wouldn’t have the same levels of satisfaction.

Mind you, the owner was savvy. She said she wouldn’t allow me to buy her mannequin unless I also bought some other items from her store. So I did. I bought a dismembered head, arm and legs. All of them are art pieces in their own way. And I really did get a good deal in the end.

Apparently, there are two kinds of people: short-term and long-term gratification type people. Obviously we’ve all been in the short term gratification category—that irresistible piece of chocolate torte that you know you shouldn’t eat that calls your name …hmmm torte. I’ve tried the short term thing on the odd occasion and emerged more often than not, with a bad taste in my mouth. Sure you get a small, fleeting reward, but it’s generally not worth it. I guess that means I’m more of a long-term gratification girl. Research shows that there are benefits that go hand in hand with this mentality. Yay, benefits!

The likely benefits of being able to delay one’s gratification are known to lead to academic success, physical and psychological health, improved impulse controls (i.e. self-control, willpower, self-regulation) and increased social competence. Ultimately, people with strong willpower are able to adapt fairly readily to changing environments and therefore generally cope well in life.

So while you may not be into dismembered heads, long-term gratification affords many benefits and is well worth cultivating… I feel very gratified having this mannequin in pride of place near my study.