GREATEST MISSIONARY IN THE WORLD. 024

If married men go into the work, leaving their wives to care for the children at home, the wife and mother is doing fully as great and important a work as the husband and father. Although one is in the missionary field, the other is a home missionary, whose cares and anxieties and burdens frequently far exceed those of the husband and father.

I think there is a tendency in some parts of the world to sort of devalue home labour. Traditional roles see men as “breadwinners” while women are the “homemakers.” If women go to work, the family will have to pay for daycare, and depending on the number of children, daycare can be quite the cost. If the mother –can and –decides to stay at home the family certainly saves money; women are also breadwinners. You see gender roles are not about better or worse, they are just about teamwork.

Think about this, if there were no children in the picture, any man with sense would not be opposed to his wife working, why not have two incomes? If she chooses of course. The main thing really keeping any partner in the home is the introduction of children; whoever’s job it is to be with the children full time in their most formative years –HAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS EVER ENTRUSTED TO A MORTAL.

Her work is a solemn and important one—to mold the minds and fashion the characters of her children, to train them for usefulness here and fit them for the future, immortal life. The husband in the open missionary field may receive the honors of men, while the home toiler may receive no earthly credit for her labor. But if she works for the best interest of her family, seeking to fashion their characters after the divine Model, the recording angel writes her name as one of the greatest missionaries in the world. God does not see things as man’s finite vision views them. {5T 594.2}

There is great honour to stay at home and I just want to affirm this in whoever needs it.

ONE OF THE GREATEST MISSIONARIES IN THE WORLD

Many people give their bodies to be burned, many people spend long hours at work or in study trying to provide or do some great work. One of the greatest works that any can do, is to be there, consistently, faithfully, wholeheartedly there, for the children.

Lord, change our minds, help us to see as you see.

IJN,

amen

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