Our Response to the World

Over the past several weeks, we have looked how world views affect our internal struggles and also how people may view and respond to us as stay at home wives.  Now we get to our response to the world.  Our goals in our responses are to give God the glory and to be able to share our faith.  Every person that we are in contact with will need a unique response, but I just wanted to go over some common areas that most SAHWs face.

Being ashamed of the fact that you don’t work.

This is something that you really need to pray over.  The reasons may vary from person to person, but I struggled with the whole “everybody is going to think I’m lazy or couldn’t do my job well.”  A lot of times, these internal dialogues are something that someone said to us at some point.  It’s sad how things that have been told to us by others can affect us for the rest of our lives if we let it.  However, the only person that can make you feel ashamed of yourself is you.  No one else can.  They may say things that are hurtful and untrue.  They may even try to convince others that what they think is true, and others may believe it.  However, all that matters is how God views you.  He knows all the facts and the truths about every situation and every person.  He judges us on all the facts, and not the skewed versions that others believe.  And you know all the facts of why you are a SAHW.  So does your husband.  And the people that truly care about you will support you in any decision if you are following what God wants for your life.  The road for a SAHW is not always easy, but building a strong support team will help you in this area.  Because being ashamed is really about thinking you are not important or worth something.  Let God work in this area of your life.

“So, what are you doing now?”

I used to hate this question.  You know, when you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while and the conversation usually comes around to this.  “Yeah, I stay at home.”  “No, I don’t work.”  And then there is usually the awkwardness of the other person trying to figure out whether you lost your job or what happened.

It took me a while, but the way I handle this is actually quite simple.  You know how you would tell others where you used to work and the other detail you’d give them?  Well, apply that here.  My response?  “I’m a stay-at-home wife.”  That simple.  But the key is saying it with pride.  I think, once you work through the first problem above (being ashamed) this one kind of clears itself up.  I got tired of feeling weird when people would ask me.  If they want to know more, I tell them.  If they don’t ask questions, I don’t go into it more.  Just the same as if they asked me about my previous jobs.

Another thing I used to do was to explain where I used to work, as if that would give some validity to me.  Again the whole ashamed thing came into play again.  Let me just say this, you should feel bad if you sin.  You should not feel bad, because you choose to live your life differently from others.

And then there are the people who just won’t get it…

These people range from the people who make rude comments, to the people who try to make you feel bad for choosing this, to the people who will even try to exhort you for your choices.  And you just have to deal with these people in the same way that you deal with them for other decision that you make.  Unfortunately, the more you follow God, the more trouble you will run into.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you:  A servant is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.” (John 15: 18-21)

I want to add one last thing about the SAHW.  Prayer.  I can’t say it enough.  Pray for your family.  Pray for others.  Pray for our country and other countries in turmoil.  Pray for those who go into unsafe places to reach others for God.  Pray for your ministry, your family’s ministry, and the ministry of your church and God’s Church.  Pray for each of your Facebook friends and people in your church group.  Pray for God’s Will to be done.  PRAY!  Being a SAHW opens up time.  What is a better use of your time than intercessory prayer???  Become a SAHW who is the prayer warrior for others.  Use your time wisely.

Follow God in all things of your life, and stand strong in Him.  It will not always be easy, and you may even be targeted for your decisions.  But our God is stronger than any man, and he will preserve us through all our trials.

through His grace alone!

Sarah