Corona Devo 1816
Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. (4) These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, (5) to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. ~Titus 2:3-5
Who were the women that influenced us when we were younger? (Younger in years...and also younger in the faith.) Were there women that gathered us near with their love and leaned-in so that we might learn the laws of life? Being a good wife, trained up as a mom, wise, pure, hard working, and always, always looking to the word of God.
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In church last week I noticed two different grandmothers in two separate rows, but their mission appeared to be the same. They were actively teaching others what is good. These (single) women sat next to (what I presume) were their adult grandsons. The men were pierced and marked externally and (I presume) internally too. They had every cultural outward sign of being wayward, and yet here they were in church, next to an older woman living in a way that honors God. Who knows where these men had been, but I was blessed to see where they were Sunday morning because of the love and example of two older women.
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Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother", and I have this quote on a plaque in my room, because I couldn't agree more. However, because my mom went home to heaven a number of years ago, God has blessed me with the desire to apply an edit to Abe's quote. I emphatically agree with his original (mother) sentiment, but in recent years and in my heart of hearts, I would also add two little words to Lincoln's love of "mother" quote: "in law". (For example, "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother-in-law". ("In-law" part added by me, not Abraham Lincoln.)
Because, if I had to put a pin on my map of "older women that teach me to live in a way that honors God", my mother-in-law would take up some prime real estate. She is special. And she lives in a way that honors God. She does not slander others and nor is she a heavy drinker. Instead, she teaches others what is good (most often by her quiet example). This older woman trains the younger women (in our family) to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands (Titus 2:3-5). She does all of this just by the way she lives and the example that she has set throughout her lifetime as a woman, a wife, a mom, a sister and a grandmother. Because of the ways that she lives and loves, she does not bring shame on the word of God (Titus 2:5).
The content in the verses of Titus 2:3-5 are a tall order to fill, but (hopefully) all of us have known a woman or two who exemplify (and have trained us with) these Godly characteristics.
Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. (4) These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, (5) to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. ~Titus 2:3-5
I thank you, Cyndi, Judy, Melanie, Sylvia, Denise, Cindy, Annette, Joy, Jeanne, Cheryle, Kim, Katie, Brooke, Sandy, Debbie, Beth, Mary, Tracy, Jennifer, Tracey, Janis and so many more women who live in a way that honors God. I learned from you not to slander others or to be a heavy drinker. I thank you for teaching me what is good, like loving my husband and my children. I am grateful for your beautiful examples in living wisely, being pure, working in your homes, doing good, and being submissive to your husbands. These are traits and disciplines rarely spoken of in today's culture, and yet these are traits and disciplines that knit families, marriages, and legacies together. Thank you for modeling to me God's call to women, and thank you for living-out how not to bring shame on the word of God (Titus 2:3-5).
We are grateful for the older (and younger) women that have taught us and trained us...and we must also realize that we are those influences on others.
Who are we influencing?
Flip these verses around and see if they reflect us in God's mirror? Are there some areas where we are living in distortion of what God calls us to be in Titus 2:3-5? Do we fit the bill? Are we trying to live in a way that honors God in each of these areas (if applicable)?
These are good questions. And we can begin living out the correct answers today. God makes it pretty clear-cut:
- live in a way that honors God
- Don't slander others
- Don't be heavy drinkers
- Teach others what is good.
- Train the younger women to love their husbands and their children
- Train the younger women to...live wisely and be pure
- Train the younger women to...work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands.
- Do not bring shame on the word of God (Titus 2:3-5)
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