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Life turns around we say. Any time you hear this phrase, it does not usually refers to planet Earth rotating on its axis or moving on its orbit. When live turns around as we say, we refer more to circumstances, events and phenomena that are failing on being consistent in the manner they are known to be. Take a look around your world and you can see –from the weathers in the skies to the food we consume and cloths that we wear; everything is turning around. There is a force about life that moves with time like a tide; a force beyond man’s control that come like the wave, tossing every situation around: be it social, economic, politics, ideology, technology, nothing has remained the same except the sun that rise and set.

A change is growing in the social sector –in the families to be precise and it’s fast becoming un-peculiar. I could describe it has a type of social mutation in family or marital statutory. It is becoming an issue of concern not only religiously but also socially as women are taking over the responsibilities from men in many homes today. We were much familiar with descriptions as housewife, ‘home maker’ and ‘stay-at-home’ mum but it seem we better start getting used to the idea of a househusband and stay-at-home dad. Women are fast becoming the breadwinners in many homes today even though this phenomenon is nothing like a threat but just a concern.

A recent analysis of Census Bureau data reveals a revolution in the traditional roles of men and women that extends from college campuses to the workplace to the neighbourhoods across this nation. Today, when one spouse works full-time and the other stays home, it's the wife who is the sole breadwinner in a record 23% of families, the analysis finds. When the Census started tracking this in 1976, the number was 6%.

It is observed that wives out-earn their husbands 28% of the time when both work, up from 16% 25 years ago. This means the wife is bringing home the bacon —or at least more bacon than her husband —in more than 12 million American families.

It’s a fact that may come as little surprise to many working women, but a new report from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire has found that the percentage that women contribute to overall family earnings has spiked in the years since the Great Recession. According to the report, women now contribute 47 percent of familial income, up three percentage points from 2007 to 2009, and are increasingly taking on the role of main breadwinner in their households. That number is up from 38% in 1988, while contributions from male partners have dropped from 62 percent to 53 percent in that same time frame.

From what perspective should we perceive this growing situation? With no intention to bore you with biblical marital and family ethics; we all know that the scriptures say man is to be the provider of his family. But ever since the beginning of days, women have been contributing quality effort to support their men in the up-keep of the family. When the enemy come with challenges, usually by attacking the source of their income –which is basically taking away the job or business of the man as the breadwinner, a virtuous woman should stand to the situation and prove their worth. I believe that the Lord is quite aware of days like these; the reason He inspired the scriptures of the virtuous woman in the book of Proverbs. Read as I help you to understand better in (bold):

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil (worry). She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands (meaning she adapts to the situation, not caring about her pedicure & manicure). She is like the merchants' ships (she labours vigorously –actually the scripture means to say: she carries load for people like a labourer. She is not ashamed of hard labour); she bringeth her food from afar (she treks long distances). She riseth also while it is yet night (meaning she works extra shift or hours), and giveth meat (food) to her household and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it (she learns and starts a trade): with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard (she makes use of her skills and income to set up a business). She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms (she put on an overall, tie a belt and wear a pair of gloves –meaning: working in the factories if need be). She perceiveth that her merchandise is good (she manages her income): her candle goeth not out by night (she pay bills and ensures that electricity is not cut off). She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff (she labours with both hands). She stretcheth out her hand (gives) to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household (she ensures that her family are warm in winter): for all her household are clothed with scarlet (she buys blanket and provide heat). She maketh herself coverings of tapestry (heavy hand woven fabric she makes for herself, not waiting for anyone to buy for her); her clothing is silk and purple (meaning: yet she look beautiful and elegant for her husband to admire). Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land (listen to this carefully: it means she care and cloth her husband such that people noticed him -nobody can identify that he is jobless. She does not go around discussing with her friend about how jobless her husband has been. By the manner she has kept her husband’s embarrassing situation discrete, he is still respected by friends and elders in the community). She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant (This is God’s covenant upon such virtuous women: her business shall grow and boom. She is now dealing with merchants). Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come (the Lord shall cloth her with strength and honour –divine health and respect shall be met on to her. Then a time is coming when she shall have all-round joy as her business will grow, such that she needs not to labour but people shall labour for her). She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness (She counsels, advises and encourages fellow women in similar crises to do the same because all her friends will rush to her in times of their troubles). She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all (meaning: even though everything is okay with her and her family, yet she would not relax and be idle. Everyone in her family is impressed with her, they praise and bless her; her daughters are taking after her steps –to support their own husbands and the Lord shall bless them all together). Favour is deceitful (This means: ignore the negative and deceitful advise from friends in the pretence of doing you a favour –like telling you to dump his “jobless ass” and move in with them), and beauty is vain (meaning: don’t result into prostitution because you are beautiful. Ignore men sweet-talking and telling how beautiful you are, persuading you to betray your husband and fornicate with them): but a woman that feareth (obeys) the LORD, she shall be praise: (God is promising you as a woman, that if you listen and obey this covenant instruction, He would prosper and elevate you). Give her of the fruit of her hands (what ever you sow, you shall reap); and let her own works praise her in the gates (The gates means the public. This mean that the good works of her hands –her good doing shall make her famous, likewise the dirty or sinful deeds shall bring shame) -Proverbs 31:10-31 King James Version.

To be continued…

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