The Bible doesn’t say your calling as a young woman is to be a “worker at home.”  In fact, Paul says, “The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she who is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.”²⁶ So it is the married woman who specifically is a worker at home, not necessarily the single woman.

 
You may be commended for wanting to please the Lord and to help others, and for making the effort to write the article.  It is true, as you say, that parents need to protect their single daughters, and that daughters need to be very careful, especially in our corrupt society.  But we would put forward that you have misapplied Biblical principles.

You put forward that unmarried women should always be living or working in the home of their father, husband, or guardian.  But we reply, take note of these examples of single women who were on their own, working outside of the home, and supporting themselves and others:

1. Dorcas: She was a hard worker. For whom? Her family? No, the widows,¹ for, upon her death, the widows, not relatives, stood by her body weeping. And, upon her reviving, Peter called in the saints and widows.² The point? She apparently was not living with relatives, dependent on them, or serving them.

2. The younger widow of 1 Timothy 5: She was supporting widows,³ not family.

3. Phoebe: She independently was a helper and servant to the church, not father or family.⁴

4. Lydia: She was supporting herself and “her household” as a seller of fabric.⁵

5. Anna: She lived in the temple, not a house.⁶

6. The elect lady: She had a household, for, she had her children and appears to be on her own, directing her own household.⁷

7. Ruth: She lived with her mother-in-law and supported them both.⁸

Consider that these women had the liberty not to be at home perpetually and actually followed Christ around and ministered to Him. Some were married:

1. Mary, Susanna, many others.⁹

2. Salome, wife of Zebedee.¹⁰

3. Joanna, wife of Chuza.¹¹

Single women had the liberty to:

1. marry whom they wish, in the Lord,¹²

2. make a vow and keep it,¹³

3. be fellow-workers in the gospel,¹⁴

4. support needy widows,¹⁵

5. attend prayer meetings,¹⁶

6. host a prayer meeting,¹⁷

7. prophesy,¹⁸ and

8. receive a reproof personally and directly.¹⁹

Deborah is never condemned for being a judge in Israel, and that, while she was married. She even went to battle.²⁰

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