I’m writing this article because of a conversation I had today with two men—one of whom (Let's call him Matt) said, “A woman’s role is to cook and clean dishes, right? At least that’s what the Bible says… or maybe not in modern times, since it’s changed.” His friend Brat (a name chosen with punning intent) laughed. ‘Yeah,’ he added, ‘the Bible’s been “changed” for today’s world.”
No, the Bible hasn’t changed. Nor does it need to. What needs to change, however, is how we interpret scriptures to justify limiting women to domestic boxes. This article isn’t about rewriting scripture—it’s about the need to rewrite attitudes that reduce half of humanity to chores while ignoring their God-given capacity to partner in building a better world.
When the Bible calls Eve a “helper” (Genesis 2:18), the Hebrew word ezer implies strength and rescue—a truth anyone can find with a little effort to study the text beyond surface-level assumptions. This word isn’t a footnote; it’s a declaration. To reduce women to dishwashers is to mistake the recipe for the feast. This partnership isn’t about splitting chores 50/50; it’s about combining 100% of their gifts to nourish something bigger than themselves. The Bible’s vision of womanhood isn’t a dusty rulebook. It’s a living invitation to rise—not as maids, but as home 'makers'. To the men who cling to stereotypes: the problem isn’t the Bible. It’s the refusal to see that God’s design for women—and for themselves—has always been as vast as the sky.
When Paul writes, “Wives, submit to your husbands” (Ephesians 5:22), some interpret this as a hierarchical role. But Paul immediately adds, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church” (v. 25)—a role requiring sacrificial service. Both commands are rooted in mutual respect, not dominance. A wife’s submission and a husband’s servanthood are roles pointing to an eternal truth: Love requires humility, not hierarchy.
Plates and Potentials; Cooking Up Change
A house becomes a home when it is woven with mutual respect, shared goals, and sacrificial love. It’s not the chores that build a home, but two hearts blending their flavors to nourish a shared dream. Proverbs 31 paints a picture of a woman who “watches over the affairs of her household” (v. 27)—the one who manages resources, supports her spouse, invests in her community, and “extends her hand to the poor” (v. 20). Understanding the role of a woman is key to accurately assessing her value. A woman’s worth is not based on her chores or the physical pleasures she can offer, but on her heart for stewardship. Her calling is to nurture.
To nurture is to empower. A modern woman nurtures her family by managing finances, offering emotional support, pursuing a career, or fostering faith. Her “limits” aren’t barriers but boundaries—knowing when to pour out and when to replenish, seeking strength from God to sustain herself. A woman’s value is not in her tasks, but in her heart’s posture. Whether she’s planting seeds in a garden, ideas in a boardroom, or faith in her children, she is fulfilling her calling: to nurture life, in all its forms, alongside her partner. This is how homes—and kingdoms—are built. A woman’s role cannot be reduced to stereotypes. She is a co-builder, designed to complement—not compete with—her partner. In Christian marriage, this is modeled as two becoming “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), with each partner bringing unique gifts to the union. When a man and woman align their intentions—to love, serve, and build together—they create something far greater than a tidy house: a legacy of shared purpose.
Let us celebrate women not for how well they scrub dishes, but for how deeply they invest in the lives around them. In their hands, hearts, and wisdom, their love carries the power to heal, create, and transform—one intentional act at a time, through God’s grace.