The following “Question” was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and “Answered” by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Anjela Paje of Spokane, WA, from the tape, GC 70-24, titled “Questions and Answers Part 52.” A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©2003. All Rights Reserved.
Questioner
On Mother’s Day, you had given the sermon about the Proverbs 31 woman. And, I
wanted to ask a question: If I had a daughter and she expressed a desire to
pursue a professional career, like a medical career, something that was an
extensive amount of education, would I, Biblically, should I, discourage her
from that kind of pursuit, even if she displays a talent or interest or
propensity? I’m wondering, if you think that that would be a futile, waste of
time, or if, since this daughter might have a gift, why not encourage it.
John MacArthur's Answer
No, absolutely not. I think if she has an interest in some career like that, and
particularly, the medical field, that’s a wonderful place for a woman to serve.
If she has an interest in it, and she has a capability for it, then, I think,
she should pursue it. I, I mean, if she has the opportunity, that’s a wonderful,
wonderful place to give your life. And you go that path, until it becomes an
issue of whether or not she sacrifices. Let’s assume she gets married and has a
child. Now she’s going to have to make the decision as to what the priority of
her life is going to be. But all the rest of her life if she has children and
she follows what the Bible says about being a keeper at home, and maybe, she
does a little of her medical stuff on the side, and there’re still ways to
balance all of that. But if, if she chooses to do what is right, and to take
care of her home and her husband and raise her children as God has ordained,
then that family’s going to be all the richer for all that background and all
that training.
Parents ask me that question all the time. They ask me that should I send my
daughter to school to be a teacher, be a school teacher, go through college,
learn to be a school teacher, get a credential to go teach school, and, then,
she’s going to marry somebody. She’s going to have three or four kids. What’s
going to happen? Well, they got a teacher in the house. I mean, this is a
tremendous blessing and benediction to the family to have that kind of
preparation and that training, and I think, particularly for young people, you
don’t know where the Lord’s going to take them. But all those skills can find a
place in the Lord’s kingdom. I don’t think that kind of effort and that kind of
direction and that kind of study and preparation is ever wasted. I think God has
a purpose. Sometimes long-term, sometimes short-term. Sometimes full-time.
Sometimes part-time.
Questioner
So, you would encourage your daughter or granddaughter to pursue any type
of interest or career education only as far as they could go and when a family
comes along, then would you call it sin if they continue to have a career and a
family?
John MacArthur's Answer
No. No, I would call it sin if they are unfaithful in fulfilling their
responsibility to the family. But you know, there are people who balance that,
and balance it well. And, there’s always a time when the children are gone, and
then, that kind of interest can be picked up again. I mean, I think it comes
down to the priorities, and if a woman cares for her husband, cares for her
family, and does some things on the side, sometimes, people can have a skill
that can be used in the home itself. I mean, we’ve got so much of that going on
today.
The issue is the priority of giving your life to your husband and your family being faithful keeper at home, lover of your husband, lover of your children, raising a godly generation. Whatever else you can fit in is good, and I’ll tell you something. There are many women who don’t work and don’t have any career and waste an awful lot of time doing virtually nothing valuable. There are other women who are disciplined and able to work in effective ministries and effective opportunities to help the family.
The Proverbs 31 woman was a woman who had enough sense to save money, find out where a bargain field was, negotiate the price of the field, buy the field. You know what I’m saying? There, there was an enterprise there. Sure. It’s a question of making sure that you maintain the priority of the home and the family, and that the children are getting all that they need from you. If you don’t waste the time remaining, but use it productively, there are ways that you can follow those kinds of things.
I think, women have to be careful, though. I think that you can go into a situation in a career field where you are in a very vulnerable and exposed environment with regard to men who are not your husband, and you can be very unprotected and taken advantage of, and put in compromising situations. That’s why they’re developing laws all the time, harassment laws, and sexual harassment in the business place. And, and I think, if a woman does work, it’s really important for a Christian gal, even if she’s single, or if she’s working, even as married person before they have children, or working part-time, that she not put herself in a situation where she’s exposed to those kinds of temptations and those kinds of things that would be dishonoring to the Lord, or would draw her into some compromise.
So, I think, a husband has a responsibility, once you take a wife, to protect
her from those kinds of environments because she is to be submissive to her own
husband--not all the men in the office or wherever. So, it’s a delicate thing.
And I think every family has to work that out. But I think, the more educated a
young lady is, the more she follows those kinds of opportunities with the
realization that God has given skills in that area, and God has allowed this to
take place, that down the road, God probably has a good purpose for it all.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's “MacArthur's Questions and
Answers” by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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