There are many career opportunities available for us today. Whether it's a technical job that requires eight-hour shifts, a full-time on-call job that requires one to be available all the time, or a job that means sitting in an office chair inside a cubicle—there are many opportunities that anyone can apply to.
For me, I chose to simply work at home. Yes, in the comforts of my home.
Why I Decided to Work at Home
There are many home-based jobs that are offered nowadays. Some businesses are run from home. Some writers simply write from home. Others do commissioned jobs such as painting, right at home. What's with this home-based job category that made me choose it?
Here are some reasons why I chose to work at home.
1. It Allows Me to Provide For My Family Without the Need to Leave Home Every Day
I started working at home in the same year that we got married. Heeding the words of God in Deuteronomy 24:5, I opted to work at home:
"A newly married man must not be drafted into the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to the wife he has married."
I wanted to stay at home with my wife to make her happy according to that verse, but I also needed to earn to provide for our needs. How do I mix both? By working at home. It enabled me to spend more time with her, while earning enough for our needs. Why not stay with your wife at home while working to provide for your needs?
2. It Helps Me Spend More Time With My Wife and Family
Preparing for work takes time. Commuting to and from work takes time. All the time I would spend on that, I can simply spend on my wife and family.
Some time ago, I've read about a helpful advice that says we should give 15 minutes for the purpose of talking to our spouses about things that matter. By working at home, I get to give more than just 15 minutes for that.
3. It Helps Me Filter Our Unnecessary Interactions With Others
Make no mistake: I'm no introvert, but filtering out unnecessary interactions is a big deal for me. Why? It's because I want to protect my marriage.
Many cases of infidelity happen in offices. Some cases of unfaithfulness happen because a husband or wife has wrong interactions with people at work. Working at home, with your spouse seeing what you're doing, helps to build accountability and trust. It also enables you to give more attention to your spouse, compared to the attention you give to others.
It's Not About the Job
Friends, I know we all have different situations. Some of us can't work the way I do, and I can't work the same way others do. But it's not about the jobs we're in. It's not about our careers. It's about us loving our spouses the way God intended us to.
