The Heart of a Homemaker | Watch That Negative Attitude

Matthew 25:24-30- Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

This week in our study we will be looking at that negative attitude towards domestic responsibilities and what we can learn from the third servant about changing those attitudes.

 

Let us take a look at the last servant mentioned in this passage.

 

Each of the servants was given a talent, but we see that the last servant buried the talent he had been given. He hid it. He did absolutely nothing with it. 

 

Secondly, he not only boastingly gave back to his master exactly what he received but made excuses about it, to the point where he blamed he master himself for the fact that he did not do anything with his talent.

 

Thirdly, his attitude was so displeasing to his master that what he had was taken away from him and given to the one who proved he could handle more.

 

So, how does this apply to us as homemakers?

 

Many times we hide our abilities or talents. We put them away and bury them instead of using them to benefit our families and homes. Some of us have degrees, some have a trade, and some have natural abilities. Just because some of us have chosen to stay at home does not mean that these abilites and talents need to go to waste. Many women that I know that have a teaching degree are now homeschooling their children. There are some with musical abilities who are now teaching their children to play a musical instrument. Some are gifted in organization and have taken that gift to make their homes run like a well oiled machine. Some have taken their talents and abilities and have found ways to use them to bring an extra income into their homes,

 

When I read the account, I couldn't help but noticce how much effort this servant put into his excuse for not doing anything with his talent. Sometimes we women are the same way. We put our effort into everything but our homes (ministries, friends and relationships, volunteer work, playing chauffeur, etc.) We over extend ourselves and then have nothing left to give our home, husbands, and children. And then we blame God because we are not taking care of our responsibilities. 

 

Quite often we hear women brag about their inabilities in their homes. They brag about having an untidy home, letting their children forage for themselves, having no clean laundry, and the list goes on. Honestly, we all have moments when things do not go as planned. When we forget that there is a load of laundry in the washer and have to wash it a second time the following day. We have moments when our crock pot intentions were good only to have the power go out while we were out of the house. 

My mother-in-law has always kept house impeccably while raising 4 boys and working a full time job. I will never forget the story she told me of the one day she had her neighbor's children over and every toy in the house was taken out and strewn from one end of her home to another. That was the day a detective came by to ask if she had witnessed or heard anything happen while a crime was taking place in her neighborhood. She was mortified because that was not the normal state of her home. Moments like that happen!

Moments like these need to be the exception not the norm in our homes.

 

So, what type of attitude does God want to see in us? God wants to see us making an effort with what he has given us.

We all have our strengths and weaknesses. We have those jobs we love, jobs we tolerate, and jobs we hate. But we need to make an effort as women, wives and mothers to do our best in the place God has put us. 

But what if there is an area we have struggles in?

I love how the Master explains what should have been done with the servants talents if he felt he could not do the job. "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers..." In other words, it is okay to out source. If you feel like cleaning is not your thing, fine! Find someone who can clean your house for you. It is okay! If cooking is not your thing, but your husband enjoys it, fine! Your family is being fed. In Proverbs 31:15 (AMP) it says, "She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks." Having help to care for a home is okay. The point is, the home is being cared for. 

Our attitude towards our home, responsibilities, and the people in our home is what Titus 2:3-5 is all about. Next Tuesday, we will look at the first phrase of verse 3 "older women." Won't that be fun!

 

Challenge for the week: Find one talent that God has given you and find a way to use it where you are right now.