Should Women Work?

It is not a question of to work or not to work; it is a question of how to work and where to work. Romans 12:11 says that we should be “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Throughout Scripture, God has given us examples of diligent women, women who worked: Ruth, the woman in Proverbs 31, the Shunammite woman, and Dorcas.

Depending on whether or not a woman is married makes a big difference in how and where she works. As a single woman, I should be able to support myself and care for my own needs. I should not be a drain on my parents, taking and never giving. One day, I will no longer have my parents to care for me; at that point, if I cannot support myself, I will be in a dilemma. While I ought to work as a single woman, some environments are not safe for me to work in.

If I ever marry, where and how I work would change. I would now have a duty to care for my husband and children (1 Corinthians 7:34). A married woman’s first responsibility is in her home; any other job should be secondary. Men are to be the providers in the family, and women are to be keepers at home (Titus 2:5). God created them for that purpose. As long as my priorities are right, I am fulfilling my God-given responsibilities at home, and I am submissive to my husband, nothing would be wrong with a part-time job.

However I choose to labor in work or ministry, God should be glorified. God wants my service to flow from a right-heart attitude. Each individual person should follow God’s leading, in submission to authorities, for her life.