As a homemaker and follower of Christ, we are called to look after and manage our household. The house is our domain and we are put in charge of creating a God glorifying atmosphere. The excellent wife of Proverbs 31 managers her home:

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” ~ Proverbs 31:27

This post is part of a series on what it means to be a homemaker that brings glory to God in her homemaking. You can read the full series HERE.

We can so easily get caught up in the daily mundane tasks of cook, cleaning, organizing and managing our home. But we should have Gospel intentionality and Kingdom focus when we manage our home.

Home Management for God’s Glory

How we run and manage our home has profound influence over our lives, our children, and our families.

“A part of looking over the activities of our household means we are able to organize and bring order to our homes – in other words, manage.” ~ Pat Ennis & Lisa Tatlock, Practicing Hospitality {Page 103}

Putting a little effort and intentionality into our homemaking, organization, and management can go a long way in glorifying God in our homemaking.

“Management helps us maximize our time, energy, and resources. Simply put, management helps us to be good stewards. Likewise, management allows us to plan and organize events so we are free to focus on our real priority – people!” ~ Pat Ennis & Lisa Tatlock, Practicing Hospitality {Page 103}

 Simple Steps to Home Management

Your home and your attitude won’t change overnight but remember that each day you can make smart decisions that help with your home management. So get off Pinterest {I’m preaching to myself} and pick up the broom! Get ready to glorify God in your home management. Here are a few practical tips:

Organize

A cluttered home is truly a sign of a cluttered mind. It’s so much easier to be at peace and create a tranquil atmosphere when the house is uncluttered. We have way too much stuff right now so I’m trying to pare down what we have so that our small apartment is less cluttered….especially with baby stuff all over the place now!

Spending some time up front to organize your house really pays off! You spend less time everyday looking for things and organizing the house.  

Don’t Be Lazy 

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” ~ Proverbs 31:27

The excellent wife described in the Bible is not someone who is lazy! She is hardworking and industrious. She looks over her household, perceives what needs to be done, and works hard at making a God-glorifying household. It’s hard work but with God’s help she can get it done!

“Managing our homes with excellence will require that we are never idle…Idleness means we are ‘doing nothing’ or ‘not busy working.’ It suggests we are lazy or slothful. Idleness implies wasted time and pictures a person who is unemployed. This picture is completely contrary to how Scripture defines a woman’s responsibility to her family and home. Titus 2:5 calls women to be ‘workers at home.’ They are to be ’employed at home.’ A person with integrity works hard at her place of employment, meaning she is busy with tasks, redeeming the time and refusing idleness.”  ~ Pat Ennis & Lisa Tatlock, Practicing Hospitality {Page 104}

I find that passage from one of my favorite books so convicting! The women in Proverbs 31 is forever memorialized within Scripture as being a wife of excellence! We should always strive to be her. And she wasn’t lazy! She worked hard and made sure her house was cared for. I love this last quote from Ennis and Tatlock,

“The truth is that there is no secret to managing your home with excellence – it is simply hard work!”  ~ Pat Ennis & Lisa Tatlock, Practicing Hospitality {Page 105}

You will bring honor and glory to God when you work hard and serve Him! If you struggle with laziness or simply need some motivation {like we all do at some point}, meditate on and memorize the following Scripture:

• Proverbs 10:4
• Proverbs 12:24
• 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
• Hebrews 6:12
• Romans 12:11
• 1 Corinthians 15:58
• Titus 2:3-5
• Proverbs 14:1

Relax!

Wait! You just told me not to be lazy and know you are telling me to relax?? Here’s something to remember:

Don’t stress too much about your house. At the end of the day, your homemaking is not about your home…it’s about your family! Do your kids just really need your attention today? Do you have a hubby who would love some time to cuddle tonight? Forget the dishes, they can sit in the sink. Focus on what’s important today!

Spend time with your kids, love your husband, and remember that the dishes are just dishes! As your kids grow up they will be more thankful for a mother who spent time with them than a mother who had a clean house but neglected her kids. Don’t forsake your family for clean dishes and you will truly Glorify God in your homemaking! 

More in this series:

• Setting the Atmosphere in the Home….for God’s Glory
• Taking Charge of Your Family’s Health…for God’s Glory
• Managing your Home…for God’s Glory! {Cleaning & Organizing}
• Managing your Family’s Finances…for God’s Glory

Need more training?

The second annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference 2015 pre-registration is now open!! Join us for 12 video sessions, over $200 in bonuses, a beautifully designed home management binder and more. The conference is live October 27-29, 2015 but after the sessions go live, you can watch anytime, anywhere, and on any device! The perfect conference for a busy homemaker on the go.

This year’s theme is The Ministry of Homemaking and we will be exploring topics such as prayer, homemaking schedules and routines, how we can find joy in our homemaking, spiritual disciplines for busy homemakers, and more! Plus, join our exclusive Facebook group as we share resources, tips, encouragement, and more. Find out more about the conference and pre-register here.