The Biblical Term
It’s the word that’s translated “keepers at home” or “workers at home” in Titus 2:4. It’s “oikouros”. It means “a stayer at home, i.e. domestically inclined (a “good housekeeper”):–keeper at home.” It’s polarizing in our feminist culture. It’s often explosive even in Bible classes. But whatever it is, it is the Spirit’s label for the calling that’s part of a larger picture of women who are following sound doctrine (vs. 1) and who are living so as to discourage blasphemy of that Spirit (vs. 5). Whatever “oikouros” is, it’s in an important list and, if we are God’s women, we must be able to say that it describes our lives. It is almost too much to say aloud among women today, but God’s women must be “stayers at home, domestically inclined, keepers at home.” It is not ours to manipulate the term. It is ours to make sure we comply.
The New Lads to Leaders Program
The Lads to Leaders program is a great tool for putting leadership skills in our young people. I have long been a proponent and my confidence in the program has grown as our own children identified and developed the gifts that would make them most useful as adults in the body. You can read a Lads alumnus’ short synopsis of the program’s value at http://www.calebcolley.com/lads-leaders-spiritual-growth/.
While I would be hesitant to ever criticize a program that has so richly blessed our own family and motivated godly leadership in literally thousands of young people, I’ve always thought there has been a missing component in the lineup of events and categories of participation…
…Until now. The Lads to Leaders schedule of events and rule book now includes a program called Keepers–short for Keepers at Home. Based on the admonition of Titus 2:3-5 for older women to teach younger women in the body to be “keepers at home”, the program involves our young girls learning to cook, sew, iron, administer first aid, clean house, and much more. It focuses on skills that our girls will no longer learn in a home economics class, but things, nonetheless, that are most important to a home’s economy. Best of all, it’s based on the Titus 2 model. This hands-on mentoring by godly older women will foster friendships that will benefit both those who are teaching the skills and those being mentored. It’s a win/win.
I wish this portion of the program had been a part of my daughter’s Lads to Leaders experience. It would have reinforced much of what I was attempting to teach her at home. I am glad it is available for many of your daughters and for the grand-daughters (yes, I am trusting!) who will one day bake cookies in my kitchen! I can get pretty excited just thinking about that! I am unabashedly thankful to be a keeper at home.
You can read about the program at http://www.lads-to-leaders.org/Keepers%20guidelines.pdf.
We started our Keepers program last Wednesday in a room full of girls who have beautiful hearts for Him. May the Word never be blasphemed as we work to put it into the hearts of our kids. May the homes our daughters one day keep be safe havens for husbands and children who, if trends continue, will desperately need refuge from a society that is ever more intolerant of Christianity.
Blessings of Keeping
Keeping scrapbooks and photos and memories,
Keeping late hours as seamstress and maid,
Keeping up with appointments, schoolwork and chores,
Keeping guard when someone is afraid.
Keeping food in the pantry and gas in the car,
Keeping warranties, coupons, receipts,
Keeping bouquets of dandelions, locks of blonde hair,
Keeping score when the children compete.
Keeping tabs on where everyone’s going,
Being sure that my cell phone is near.
Keeping sleeping bags stashed in my closet
For those friends who always end up here.
But mostly just keeping on keeping on,
For life’s about sowing and reaping,
When one day my home finds a place at his throne
I’ll praise him for blessings of keeping.
