Stay-At-Home Moms and the Great Commission

There is increasing hostility against stay-at-home moms in our day.

We get looked down upon from both sides.

Unbelievers scoff at us because they feel we are wasting our lives and talents on laundry and boo-boo kissing. They shake their heads and think, "Poor girl, she needs to find herself, get a career, and become liberated."

Some Christians, unfortunately, don't hold us in much higher esteem. The moment that Church-People find out we're home, they'll do what they can to yank us from it. Even though it will pull us from our homes and families, they will expect us to say yes to signing up for church activities and mission trips, all in the name of (you guessed it)...

The Great Commission.

Jesus tells Christians to,

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 28:19 (KJV)

I'm going to try to write today about something I've believed for years. That is, that Christian mothers don't need to leave their responsibilities at home in order to fulfill this command. There are ways we can live out The Great Commission and still be home caring for our families.

Some would argue, "But Jesus said Go! Doesn't that mean to literally pack up and go?"

I would answer that in two ways.

First, scripture also teaches that women are to be "Busy at home." (Titus 2:5) And that there is a time for everything, "A season for every activity under heaven." (Ecc. 3)

(For example, if you're a young mother at home with babies and toddlers, this wouldn't necessarily be the right season of your life to travel to Africa!)

And second, there are ways we can go, and still be home! "Go" isn't restricted to physically getting on a plane. This is the point of today's post. I'm going to share 5 ways that Christian mothers can "Go and teach all nations", while still prioritizing our homes and families.

1. Leave reading material at Doctor's offices

            

I get a monthly devotional that always comes with an insert that has the plan of salvation written on it. I tear these pages out and save them for the next time I have a Doctor's appointment. With four kids, plus myself, I feel like I'm always at the Doctor or Dentist. I just simply put them in my purse and leave them on a table in the waiting room. 

You could use tracts instead, I suppose, and this wouldn't have to be limited to Doctor's offices. Salons and Spas have waiting rooms, too. And restaurants and gyms have places you could leave behind reading material. It just seems like I'm in Doctor's and Dentist's offices far more frequently than any of those other places, haha. 

2. Blog/ Social Media

Just technology alone can reach all nations! And you don't have to leave home!

 The NIV version of The Great Commission says, "... Go and make disciples of all nations." (That has a little bit of a different tone to it than the KJV that I quoted earlier.) When I think of what I looks like for a woman to make disciples, I think about the Titus 2 command where women are teaching women. If you read about what they are to be teaching, there's an emphasis on home and family. 

I have always tried to use my blog and Facebook account to shed a positive light on homemaking, to teach good things about life at home, and to point people to the Lord.

My blog stats show me that I am well on my way to "teaching all nations". I've had my blog for two months now and these are the countries it has spread to. It excites me to think about everyone it'll reach as time goes on.

I pray over each post that I create and for the people who will be reading it.

3. Sponsor a child

We currently sponsor four children through Compassion International. Each child lives in a different country; Uganda, Togo, Philippines, and Colombia. Compassion centers provide safety, meals, and bible teaching for these children because of their sponsors.  All things these kids don't receive in their homes.

These children live in poverty and in cultures that practice witchcraft, idol worship, and forced marriages.

I personally hand write letters to each of them regularly. I've been doing it for years. I send them scripture, tell them about Jesus and that He loves them and has a plan for their lives.

4. Witness to strangers and workers that come over

We've had many Plumbers, Electricians, Computer geeks, Masons, Craigslist buyers, etc... come to our house through the years. Micah and I made a decision years ago that no one would leave our house without hearing about Jesus. 

            

Just today we had a masonry worker stop over to look at our family room and give us quotes on converting our fireplace to woodburning. (We're really close to beginning the renovation on this room. This is a peek at the "before".) 

I was standing back because I didn't want the poor guy to know I was snapping a picture, but the point I'm trying to make here is that there are many opportunities to witness to strangers without leaving home.

Side note: Whenever I begin to feel sheepish about sharing the gospel with a worker at my house, these two thoughts have helped me in the past, (maybe they'll help you, too). 1. You're on my turf, pal! And 2. I'm paying you to be here! :)

I have saved the most obvious and the most important one for last...

5. Our own children!

            

I know this flies in the face of our liberal and tolerant society, but if I can be honest here... I absolutely expect that each of my children will come to know the Lord as their personal Savior and will leave my house with hearts that want to love and serve Him. 

I love the vision that my friends J.D. And Veronica wrote about in their book, Ready to Launch; and that is that our goal should be to, "Prepare our kids to leave home and carry on the mission of God." (I did their 7-week bible study twice! So that means they're my friends, right? ;)

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the sons born in one's youth." Psalm 27:3-4

The study points out that arrows aren't meant to be held onto by the warrior, but shot out and set free toward a target. My target for them is that they will become God-seekers, truth-pursuers, and warriors for the Lord themselves! I am training my children in the ways of the Lord so that when I set them free, I will have yet another way to teach all nations.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matt. 28:19

Well, my friends, as I conclude, I pray that I have given you hope and encouragement about your role as homemaker. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about staying home! Our homes are a gift from the Lord, meant for us to enjoy, and we really are doing kingdom work!

I did not share these five points today to wave around as if to say, Look at me and what I'm doing! 

NO! NO!

I've been doing these five things long before I ever had a blog or the idea to write about this topic.

I just simply shared them as ideas of how we can fulfill The Great Commission at home. If you have anything more you could add to this list, please share! I would love to hear about what you do to share the gospel or disciple others while being home! I look forward to your comments!

~ Courtney