5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

When Jesus began traveling with his disciples, how did they support themselves financially?  Did others contribute?

Sincerely,
Keeping The Books

Dear Keeping The Books,

There are three ways that Jesus and His disciples were supported during His ministry.

1. Jesus was a carpenter, just like his foster father Joseph (Matt 13:55), and had worked as such in Nazareth (Mk 6:3).  Jesus didn’t begin preaching until He was thirty-years-old (Lk 3:23).  Since Jesus would have been careful with money (Pr 6:6-8) as a faithful steward (1 Cor 4:2), it is likely that He had some money saved up to live off of.
2. Jesus and His disciples lived off the hospitality of those they preached to.  Jesus even commanded His disciples to take nothing with them when they preached (Mk 6:7-10).
3. Jesus and His disciples were supported by several very faithful women.  Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others ministered to the physical needs of Jesus as He preached (Lk 8:1-3).

It just goes to show that God will always care for His people – even when it doesn’t make financial sense to serve Him (Ps 37:25-26).

I currently work outside of the home, but many of my friends tell me that a christian woman cannot have a job.  Does God say that I have to be a stay-at-home mom?

Sincerely,
Overworked

Dear Overworked,

Being a stay-at-home mom is a job – a very important one – that shouldn’t be neglected.  The Bible never says that a woman can’t work outside the home; in fact, it gives many examples of faithful women working secular jobs.  Lydia was a seller of beautiful fabric (Acts 16:14).  The worthy woman of Proverbs 31 is depicted as buying and selling land (Pr 31:16).  The problem isn’t with women working outside of the home; it is when women neglect their homes and families.

God tells us that older women are to train younger women to be “workers at home”, “love their children”, and “love their husbands” (Tit 2:3-5).  Paul told Timothy that women are to “rule the household” (1 Tim 5:14).  Both of these verses indicate that women play a pivotal and central role in running the home.  As much as men are admonished to provide and lead their families, women are taught to not neglect the sphere of the home and family.  Pr 14:1 says that women should build their homes and invest effort and time into establishing those homes.

If a woman works outside of the home (which is perfectly scriptural), she must make sure that she does not neglect the home.  Proverbs 31 shows us what an important and wonderful job being a wife and a mother can be.  A woman who dedicates herself to her family will be pleasing to God, and her family will rise up and call her “blessed” (Pr 31:28-31).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom