The Heart of a Homemaker | "Older Women"

"Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble," Titus 2:3

The verse begins "Bid the older women...." Let's just stop there.

Believe me, I am the last person on earth who wants to fit into this category. I always want to feel like I am in the younger women group. (However, when filling out questionnaires, I cringe when I have to check the box for 35-44 year olds! When did that happen!) But the truth is, we will always be older than someone else. That means I qualify (in a good way) for another kind of box to check mark. In fact, this phrase means we all qualify for what is to be said in the rest of the passage (verses 3-5).

The rest of the passage goes on to direct us how we are to conduct ourselves and what the older woman is to teach the younger woman. As mothers, we automatically attain the title of "older woman" because, particularly if you have a daughter, you have a younger woman in your care and training from birth. If you model for her what these verses describe, she will learn what is becoming to a woman and will follow your example. If we all see ourselves as needing to follow through what this passage describes (because we are all older than someone), can you imagine the revival of character in women across the globe this will cause!

But as a word of caution, sometimes when we find ourselves in the position of being the "older woman", we tend to have a "been there, done that, so glad it's you and not me, but let me tell you all of the negative you are going to encounter while you are there" attitude. Yes, we need to impart godly wisdom to those coming behind us, but there is a difference between godly wisdom and our own personal opinion which is usually based upon our personal experiences. We need to be sure that before we open our mouths, we have asked God to impart His wisdom on us so that we can be His instrument. Godly principles should be shared, and opinions and preferences can be given with the disclaimer of being just that.

Challenge for the week: As God to show you who you are to be the "older woman" for, and then pray that He will give you the grace to teach her with a right heart attitude.