The Apostle Paul wrote that βyoung womenβ with βhusbandsβ and βchildrenβ should be βkeepers at homeβΒ (Titus 2:3,4). And as you may know, this phrase is the subject of much controversy among Christian wives and moms, most of whom desire to understand it clearly so that they can obey it.
To begin with, the phrase βkeepers at homeβ is sometimes said to mean that a woman can never have any kind of life outside of the home. But thatβs not how the word βkeeperβ is used in our language. For example,Β zookeepersΒ leave the zoo every night, andΒ barkeepersΒ have a life outside the tavern as well. EvenΒ goalkeepersΒ in hockey and soccer are allowed to leave the goal, even though they are theΒ keepersΒ of the goal.
And thatβs how the wordΒ keeperΒ is used in Scripture as well. The βkeeper of the prisonβ in Philippi (Acts 16:27) went home to his wife and children every night (v. 34). So the phrase βkeepers at homeβΒ cannotΒ mean that a mom with young children cannot have a life outside the home. So whatΒ doesΒ it mean?
Well, what do you say we let God tell us what this phrase means by seeing how He uses the word βkeeperβ in Scripture? First, the primary job of the keeper of the prison in PhilippiΒ was to keep the prisoners from escaping. And when a mom has young children, itβs her job to keepΒ themΒ from escaping!
But there areΒ otherΒ kinds of keepers in the Bible. βAbel was a keeper of sheepβ (Gen. 4:2), and it is the job of shepherds to feed and care for the flock. It is similarly the job of women who are keepers at home to feed and care for their children. In most homes, Mom is the one who is primarily responsible for making sure the kids are fed, and βDr. Momβ is the first line of defense against all the bugs that children tend to contract before their immune systems are fully developed.
The Bible also talks aboutΒ doorkeepersΒ (Ps. 84:10), and keeping the doorΒ of a homeΒ involves more than just chaining the doors at night. The psalmist prayed,
βSet a watch, O LORD, before my mouth;Β keep the door of my lipsβ (Ps. 141:3).
Moms have to βkeepβ watch on what young childrenΒ say.Β Who can forget the image of Ralphie eating a bar of soap inΒ A Christmas Story,Β a film that is popular around the holidays.Β If youβre a young mom who isnβt sure how to keep your kids from using crude language, my mom did it by never swearing in front of us kids.Β I vividly remember a first grade class trip to the park wherein I saw my first four-letter words written on the walls of the viaduct we walked through that day. I probably remember it so well because I read those wordsΒ aloudΒ as we passed through, causing my classmates toΒ gasp. They knew what those words were,Β for they heard them at homeβbut I had not. You see, my mom wasΒ a keeper,Β as are all moms who keep their children from learning profanity, lying, and all other forms of βcorrupt communicationβ (Eph. 4:29).
And thatβs justΒ some of what Paul had in mind when he said young moms should be βkeepers at home.β source
