Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not
to men. - Colossians 3:23
In a book called The Second Shift, Arlie Hochschild describes how working couples
share home responsibilities. Husbands and wives who both have careers generally agree that
it is only fair for them to divide household chores. Yet studies show that men tend to do
less than their share.
Why? One possible reason is that a husband today compares his efforts to how much his
father did around the house. But a working wife today is looking for more than that. As a
result, roles become a source of conflict. Hochschild, however, directs us to a deeper
issue. She writes, "When two-career families struggle, it is seldom simply over who
does what. Far more often it is over the giving and receiving of gratitude. . . . In my
interviews, a surprising number of women spoke of their fathers helping their mothers 'out
of love' or consideration. . . . But not one man . . . made this link between help at home
and love."
There's an important insight here. Good relationships are built not only on what is
done but why. This is true of marriage, but it is even more important in our
relationship with God. Love grows not only by what we do but also by our reason for doing
it (Colossians 3:23). The Lord wants us to do what is right, and to do so out of love for
Him.
-MRDII
Lord, grant to me a loving heart,
A will to give and share,
A whispered prayer upon my lips
To show I really care.
-Brandt
We may give without loving, but we cannot love without giving.