Responsibility in the Role of Womanhood

By Emilie Gruben

 

Photo Credits: Ann's mother.

Everyone has responsibilities. I know each of us do. Maybe it's a small amount, or maybe it’s a number so big, we don’t even realize how many official tasks we hold. I’ve had fluctuating amounts of responsibility over the years. Falls and rises, but never a halt. Taking out the trash, mowing the lawn, making dinner, doing the laundry; all various examples of chores that are “responsibilities.” 

Responsibility is defined as “the quality or state of being responsible: such as moral, legal, or mental accountability.” To be responsible is to hold the reliability, and trustworthiness to do what has been assigned to you. No matter what, the people around you have responsibilities just like you. The Levite Gatekeepers in 1 Chronicles 9 had the responsibility of keeping watch over the treasures in the tabernacle, opening the gates, and other tasks. We are told that they were given this responsibility, passed down through the years and lineage of those before them. Like our own chores and responsibilities, they are often passed down out of habit, age, or tradition. You may share many of the same chores or expectations that your older siblings had when they were your age, and when you reach a certain number of years, you, too, will pass the responsibility down to someone under you. But that’s not how all responsibilities begin. 

While anyone can do the yard work, it is typically seen as a man’s job. Maybe that is your brother’s responsibility, or your father’s. Whereas gardening is the responsibility you and your sisters may share. These certain responsibilities are determined by traditional gender roles, as well as practicality. There’s a reason that the men get the harder, more rigorous jobs than women. They are more equipped, stronger in their frames and capabilities. And they also benefit from the work. Women’s bodies are not built for such hard lifting that comes naturally to men and betters their health. This is not just coincidence or a helpful chance, but God’s grand design in the matters of responsibility. Our responsibilities go so much further than our homes and chores, but to the Word’s commandments. 

We read in many scriptures that the woman’s place is in the home, and her responsibility is the keeping of her household, as well as the submission to her husband. As young women, we may be about to go into a place of submission to a spouse, or under the guidance of our fathers. But the biblical responsibility remains the same. 1 Peter 3:1-2, tells us to submit to our husbands and obey so that even when they themselves do not serve as they ought, we will remind them of their own responsibility. “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.” We are not just instructed to be obedient because we have to, but because we want to please God and our husbands. Even in the hard things, to strive to submit even if we are “standing up” for something. Disagreements in the home are no reason to rebel from responsibility, in the least, or it leads to the fall of both parties made by sinful pride and disobedience. 

As women have a responsibility to their roles in the home, so do men. Though, we won’t focus on it as much as the other, 1 Peter 3:7, “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together, of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” As the provider, protector, and leader, men truly do have great responsibilities in the home, but so do women! 

The comparison of one set of responsibilities to the other is hardly a comparison. Each are so articulate and detailed, there really isn’t much to mix together. And both given by God make them all the more to be studied and acted upon. But again, perhaps not all of us are married. The slightest portion of us are, I suspect. But that makes these responsibilities so much closer to heart! As young women, striving to be content where they are, we can practice these to, well, ‘our heart’s content.’ 

I often find myself silently reminding myself over and over, that I will not have the walk with Christ that I wish to have when I am older, if I do not begin now. I will not grow up and one day be all the wiser, nor will I be holier after I am married or have a home of my own. Our responsibilities began at the beginning of time, when God planned our lives before our very conception. My sisters and friends, we don’t have to wait for our responsibilities to come or be passed down. We already have them! 

Our responsibilities are given to us through the teaching of our parents and church, and those of wisdom before us. We take them upon ourselves, hopefully, with grace and humility. We grow into better execution of them with time and effort. No one will be perfect, ever, and surely not come close without patient practice. And let us remember, as in Galatians 3:22-28, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Our responsibilities, no matter who we are or where in life we may be-return to serving Christ as Lord.  

 

 

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