Not long ago my wife Mindy was in the front yard talking with our next door neighbor lady. Looking at her two children playing, she said, "I'm glad I work." My wife looked at her and asked, "Why do you say that?" She answered, "I' m just not meant to be a full-time mom." The neighbor lady explained that when she was at work she could relax and not worry about the children and all the chores that go along with raising them. We also know of Christian women who have stated to us at different-times within the past few years that they have their children in pre-school half days so that they can "get a break."

During the past several years these same words "I'm just not meant to be a full-time mom" or words expressing the same thought have been echoed at different times. I understand that in some cases the wife must work outside the home to make ends meet, and that's fine. But the attitude that motivates women to work is the concern. I know of several women who put their children in day-care even on the days that they're off from work so they can "unwind."

Brethren, is it any wonder why many of the children growing up today are feeling unappreciated and "in the way." We are instructed to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Psa. 22:6). How can we if we don't have them in our home? This kind of attitude toward our children is wrong. We are shirking our responsibilities as parents. We were blessed by the Lord to be able to have children. "Behold children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward" (Psa. 127:3). God fully expects us to conduct ourselves as his children and raise our children to be strong obedient Christians, but how can we when we're not there for them?

Could you imagine God saying to us, "I'm just not meant to be a full-time God!" Never! We expect God to be there for us all the time, anytime we need to call on him  but how can we call on him if he's not available? Fortunately, that's not the case because God is always there for us.

As parents we need to wake up and care for our children the way we expect God to care for us. The church will only be as strong as the Christians that are in it. If we don't accept our responsibilities that God gave us as parents and teach our children "all" the oracles of God, then our children will grow up and look at their children when they play and say those echoing words, "I'm just not meant to be a full-time mom!"

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 2 p. 10
January 19, 1995