Is there a biblical/Godly way to address wives who work and keep their wages and not contribute while the husband is responsible for all the income although the wife works?
Let’s consider the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 19:4-6, “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and THEY TWAIN SHALL BE ONE FLESH? Wherefore they are no more twain, but ONE FLESH. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
In marriage, a man and a woman are considered to be ONE. They should be one in purpose, desire, direction, etc. A husband and wife, by the guiding hand of the Lord, should be able to move forward as one unit. Amos 3:3 asks the question, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” It is vital in the Christian marriage relationship, that the husband and wife ‘walk together’. To do that, they must ‘be agreed’. They must discuss together and pray together so that they might agree together on issues facing them together.
It appears that in this situation, the wife is working but does not want to contribute to the household expenses. Have you talked to your wife about this? Have you explained the household finances to her so that she might realize the need to contribute? Have you prayed about this situation? Have you prayed with your wife about this situation?
We are reminded in Ecclesiastes 4:12 that, “If one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and A THREEFOLD CORD IS NOT QUICKLY BROKEN.” ONE man standing alone can be beaten. TWO together make a greater strength, yet THREE bonded together is even stronger. In the marriage relationship, the husband and wife are two joined. When we give over our lives and our homes over to the Lord, that makes a ‘threefold cord’ which is very strong and not ‘quickly broken’. You and your wife need to seek the Lord’s guidance and strength. You must do this together; both with a desire for a successful marriage that honors the Lord. He will join with you and lead you in your decision making.
We read in Psalms 37:3-5, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” We are given three things here to do:
TRUST in the Lord.
DELIGHT thyself in the Lord.
COMMIT thy way unto the Lord.
Success is promised when we do these things. I urge you to sit with your wife and go over these things with her. Pray with her and ask the Lord to guide your household. Be patient and allow the Lord to lead your heart and your wife’s heart. (326.6)