Home Work
Pt. 2 – Working Moms
I told you last week I never enjoyed home work. I tried to avoid it. But we all know that as tough as home work was it prepared us for a disciplined life. So last week we talked about working dads. Dads must fight apathy. They must help their wife and kids live disciplined lives and make good decisions, set priorities, and set boundaries. I am proud of the men who signed up for Covenant Eyes since Sunday. You can do that today too.
Today, we talk about the women!
If I was a really brave man I would use this time to man up and tell all the women some things we wish you knew:
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
2. Crying is blackmail.
3. Ask for what you want. Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
4. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
5. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight. But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
However, since I am smarter than I am brave I won’t say those things to you today!
Working moms! I am thankful for the godly and strong women we have in our body. However, there is still home work that must be done.
Text: Ephesians 5:22-24
22-24Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.
A. The #1 enemy women face is lack of alignment.
I believe the #1 enemy women face is being misaligned. If you are married and you try to be the dominate member of your household and you refuse to submit (we don’t like that word because we don’t understand the word) then you are out of place (misaligned) and when you are out of place you become exposed or uncovered!
Submission is not the concept of being lorded over. When a woman refuses to be led she refuses the blessings that come with that submission. Covering is traded in for conflict and confusion. Women let your man lead! I didn’t say don’t give your opinion. We need them and count on them. I didn’t say don’t step up and help. We need your insight. I did say let your man lead! This is not a freedom issue. The Word teaches us that we are all free whether we are male or female. This is not about freedom it is about alignment.
Just as men learned from our first father Adam our women have learned from our first mother Eve. She was out of alignment when she stepped out and ate of the tree. Eve made decisions that were out of alignment with what her husband had told her. Go back and read it. God told Adam that they couldn’t eat from the tree. Eve wasn’t even created yet. Then when enemy comes along the first thing he says is “Didn’t God tell you not to eat of the tree?” She says, “Yes”, but the truth was her husband conveyed that instruction and when she ate she was first breaking alignment with her husband and then alignment with God! Enemy knew then and knows now that if he can get you out of place (misaligned) you are defeated because you are exposed!
Have you ever had a car that was out of alignment? You know one of those cars you get behind and it looks like it is going sideways down the road. Misalignment causes wear and tear, destroys things (like the tires) more quickly than it should, and makes getting where you want to go more difficult (pulls one way or the other). Sound like your marriage? Wear and tear? Destruction quickly? Always seem to be pulling a different direction?
If someone ever says, “Well we know who wears the pants in that relationship!” about you, then we know you are not in alignment. If you were supposed to be the man in the relationship then God would have made you a man! Get into alignment spiritually, financially, relationally and the result will be miraculous.
Jesus’ first miracle was in direct response to a woman who understood the concept of alignment and authority. Mary looked at the servants and said, “do what he says!” She understood authority and it moved Jesus. I have discovered that a woman who understands the concept of authority will not only move her husband, but will also move her Father! (Corny, but can’t help myself – Ladies if you will learn the principle of alignment and authority you won’t have to worry about wine [whine]!)
B. Working Moms Understand.
1. Understand Their Man!
Many of you understand what buttons to push. That is not what this means! What
makes them work harder? What fulfills them? What motivates them? What hurts them? What words/action could you say or do that would turn their day into a good day? This requires you to become selfless rather than being selfish!
In the original Greek it read “Wives submit to your husband.” The word “submit” meant, “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden.”
Think about that . . . cooperating, assume responsibility for your man, and carry a burden for your man. That requires understanding your man. To understand requires study! I am so thankful God didn’t call us to understand our women!
2. Understand Themselves
The second part of understanding is understanding themselves. Most of the women that I have seen have issues stems from not knowing themselves. They have no understanding of who they are themselves so they feel incomplete, less than, unloved, and unwanted. That is why in Proverbs 31 one of the key traits described in a godly woman is that she knows who she is and is confident of her own worth! If you don’t understand your own worth you will kill your man trying to get him to give you worth. No one can give you worth. Your husband can’t! You have to discover your own worth in Christ Jesus!
The most attractive, productive, desirable women are not those who have the best bodies (if I just had more of this or less of that), wardrobe, hairdo, or talent. Here is Steve’s free beauty secret . . . They are the ones who know who they are!
C. Working Moms Support.
Your man will live up to what you say about him. Your support can turn a wimp into a warrior. Your lack of support can turn a warrior into a wimp. Don’t neuter your man with nagging, badgering, and belittling and then expect him to be a knight.
As strong as men are even God understood that it is not good for man to be alone! When a man feels alone that is a dangerous thing because he will begin to look for companionship. That is why you must make sure your man knows you support him!
How you understand and support your man reflects on how you understand and support Christ! How you treat your man/children gives insight to what you think about and feel about Christ! Ask yourself this question . . . “Do my children and my husband really know that I support them?” How?
HOMEWORK
Your home work this week is to try to live up to Proverbs 31:
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. (Trustworthy)
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long. (No nagging, record keeping, generous)
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons. (Frugal)
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. (Fixes up and hard working)
She senses the worth of her work, (Knows own worth)
She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor. (Softhearted – compassion)
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; (Not a worrier)
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. (Manages her tongue)
Wow! I just gave you a lifetime of homework from that passage!
Prayer for all women!
Align, understand and support!
