Sometimes it amazes me how many people – men and women –assume that historically women have always been financially incompetent and totally dependent on men. Yet this is not what we find in the Bible.
Adam was created to tend and keep the Garden and Eve was created as his “help meet”. As a help meet, Eve was equally responsible for tending the Garden as well as caring for Adam and their children.
Christians are taught that the man is the head of the household. It makes sense that someone be designated to make final decisions, but this does not mean a woman abdicates all responsibility for counseling her husband and acting according to God’s will. A good example of this is Abigail, Nabal’s wife. When Nabal refused David’s request for aid even after David’s men had protected Nabal’s workers in the wilderness, she brought David and his men provisions from her own stores. Her initiative prevented a justified attack on her household and so impressed David that he married her after Nabal’s death.
Proverbs 31:10-31 teaches us the definition of a good woman:
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good not evil all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and willing works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships , she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength , and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff and her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her; many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Today’s society calls a woman able to earn a living in the workplace while maintaining her home and nurturing her family a “super woman”, yet this clearly is not a modern concept. Biblically we are called to be industrious, caring, and nurturing members of society; caring for our families and extending our influence through our creativity and ingenuity. We may be currently financially uneducated, but we are not incompetent and were never intended to be.
Cathy Hardeman
