Is it okay for a wife to work outside the home?
Let us read Titus 2:3-5. “Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored” (NASB). Verse 5 gives instruction for the young women to work at home. Wives working outside the home is not forbidden in the Scriptures but this verse encourages wives to work at home.
Since a wife working outside the home is not forbidden in the Scriptures, then Romans 14:4-5 will apply in this situation. These verses say, “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” We should show grace and permit each couple to decide before the Lord about this matter.
While a wife working outside the home is not forbidden in the Scriptures, it is good to remember that God’s Word is designed for our maximum blessing. So when we read that wives should work at home, then we can be sure that much blessing will result when this is done. A wife has a powerful influence on her family. She should not feel that she is missing out if she stays at home. Her work at home is extremely valuable, not only with housework but much more so with raising the children. If she is too exhausted and stressed from working outside the home to help keep the home running smoothly, then priorities should be reconsidered. Many families need both the husband and wife to work to pay the bills and provide for the family. However, it is worth considering whether the wife should stay at home.
One blessing that results from the wife staying home is that she can do the necessary work at home so that her husband does not need to do as much of the housework after he finishes working at his job. This results in both the husband and wife having more energy to enjoy each other and spend time with their children while they are all together. When both spouses work, they are both tired from working, must both do significant amounts of work at home, and then there is less energy to enjoy time as a family. It is worth considering whether the family’s budget can be adjusted so that the wife can remain at home. It is possible that some of the things that we think we need may be unnecessary.
However, I fully realize that many families need both incomes to survive. My point is that it is worth considering since there are blessings of increased peace in the home, less stress, less fatigue, more family time, and more time and energy for the husband and wife to cultivate their relationship. (223.3) (DJ)