Teach the Older Women

Titus 2:3-5
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Like many of us, I have read these verses before. Today when I read them something different popped out at me.

Paul was writing to Titus about how Christians should act older men, younger men, older women and younger women. I have used these verses before to write about how older women should teach the younger women, and that is true. What I never noticed was the verse before that one.

“Teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teach what is good…”

What. . . I’m supposed to be taught to be reverent in the way I live? It made me stop and think about a couple of things. What is reverent really mean and who should be teaching me?

Webster’s Dictionary says:
Reverent – an adjective – showing a lot of respect; being very respectful

The first thing that came to mind is the Elders at my congregation. Yes, I can say I am very respectful of them. I respect our preacher and our elderly brothers and sisters. Then why do I think I might be falling short on this trait that I should have as an older woman.

My personality is to kid around a lot. I enjoy laughing and making others laugh. I know there have been times that I’ve been joking around with someone and said something that just may not be as respectful as it should be. At least after it was said I felt awkward about it. Sometimes these things can be a form of disrespect. I might not have meant it that way, but it could have sounded like disrespect, especially if someone was just walking by and only heard part of the conversation.

Conclusion – I need to work on this. Maybe not be so quick witted to try and entertain someone with a smart remark that could be construed as disrespectful. Also, be respectful of all persons, not just those that I think deserve it.

Now who is supposed to be teaching me this? Well since Paul was writing the letter to Titus about the Christians he was working with, then I suppose it could be anyone of my Christian friends. I am assuming this could be some of the women that are older than me. But I would hope that even if a younger woman thought I was not being reverent they would come and talk to me about it.

“not to be slanders…”

Not talking badly about others or situations. I think this applies to talking negatively also. Not just gossip or bad mouthing someone, but to just be negative in my attitude. That can be a difficult subject sometimes. Life gets hard and we all get down or depressed, but I think this is talking about the bigger picture. I’m sure we all have met those people that you just want to cross the street when you see them coming in your direction. They don’t have anything good to say about anything and they are normally hard to get away from. I do pray that I never become one of those people. I call them a “Negative Nelly” or “Debbie Downer”. These people never like change and always feel like someone is out to get them by something that has been done. 

I believe this may have been linked in with the “older women” here because it is easy for the elderly to become negative. The older you become, the smaller your circle of friends becomes also, if you let it. During your child rearing days you are so busy running around with the kids and meeting new people that after your family has grown and left the empty nest hits. For awhile this can be wonderful, but the older you get you don’t have as many opportunities to make new friends. With age comes the reality that more people you know are passing on in life.

“addicted to much wine…”  I think we all understand this part.

“but to teach what is good” So I am to be teaching. It doesn’t say to teach school or teach Bible class, it just says teach. Does that mean we shouldn’t be teaching Bible classes to the young? Absolutely not! Is being older and teaching young kids hard work, YES. But how are these young souls going to learn about God and His salvation without us “older women” teaching them? I believe we must teach (it’s right there in the Bible ladies), teach something. Some can cook well, some can sew well, and some can decorate well. We all have talents that we can teach to someone else. Use the talent God gave you and teach someone something.

May God Bless.

Oh Those Children

by Lillian Humphries

Have you ever been somewhere with your toddler or teenager and they have misbehaved? Of course you have, if you have children, then it has happened to you or it will. Those precious little people that you have birthed from your loins can turn into possessed demons in a blink of an eye. It always seems to happen at the most inopportune time, in church, in the grocery store or any public place. They seem to have a 6th sense of when the most embarrassing moments in life will take place.

My girls used to do that to me. I remember one time really well. We were in a line to check
out of a store, I can’t remember what store but none the less, that is where we were. Evidently I wouldn’t buy something for one of them that they wanted so she was really unhappy. Out of that little sweet daughter of mine (can’t remember which one) came the words “you love her more than you love me”. Well what do you say to that? I fixed her tail; I told her she was right, I did love her sister more than her. It stopped her in her tracks. Of course I think the cashier almost picked up the phone and called 911 for child abuse. Later I had a talk with her and explained that was not true. Now it has become a joke with the three of us and we do it for fun.

Whether it is acting up, not using good manners or giving out the family secrets in Bible class, children act up.

I’m sure you know where I am going with this, you are God’s child. Do you think you ever
embarrass God? Ouch. Yup, think about it.

Titus 2:5 tells women that they are to act “so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”

1Corinthians 10:31, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Our actions should always be glorifying God. Does that me we go around singing and dancing to God 24/7? Of course not. But our lives should be to the glory of God. As you go through your daily routine of diapers, dishes, laundry, car pools and work your actions should show that you are one of God’s children.

What your child does is a reflection on you as a parent. What you do is a reflection upon God.

Older Women

Wow is all I can say. I have recently had the opportunity to spend three days with some amazing women. They happen to be sisters one is 86 and the other is 89. There are several reasons why I found them amazing but the most powerful reason is that they survived. Neither one of them have had easy lives. There are several things in their lives that hope I never have to live through, but it has made them who they are today.

I heard some of their stories several times during those three days and I wanted to say, you told me that already, but I didn’t. I realized it must have been very important to them if they kept telling me about it and tried to see what they were trying to tell me.

We were there to help one of them go through some things and move items around in the house to make it easier for her to get around after a fall that has put her in a walker. As we were going through piles of papers and magazines, I saw her getting more and more agitated. Then she blurted out “stop trying to take away my life”. It struck me what was happening. We were holding her life in our hands and asking her to throw it away.

She had lived in this same home for 61 years, and every piece of paper reminded her of a good time or a not so good time in her life. Each time she looked at a book, a magazine with a page turned down she relived that moment in her life again. She was an avid crafter and seamstress, most of those things she enjoyed she is no longer going to be able to participate in again. Tubs of material and yarn that she won’t be able to use, but hopes that she will someday be productive again.

Titus 2 New King James Version (NKJV)

2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ² that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³ the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

          The Bible teaches us how to be older women and how to teach the younger women. If the Bible is telling us to teach younger women, doesn’t that indicate that the younger women should be listening to the older women? I consider myself an older woman; however, there are women who are older than me that I can learn life lessons from, and younger women that I teach.

        I learned this weekend some very important lessons:

•   We all have a story.
•   Don’t be full of yourself.
•   Don’t be ashamed of where you are life it is a journey.
•   Smile, laugh and speak kindly.
•   Always help someone else as much as you can.

Try and remember that whatever situation you are in, you can learn something from someone else.

Be kind everyone, someone you meet is hurting.

A Challege This Week

Remember when you became a Christian and where baptized into Christ?  I do believe that for those few moments afterwards you were sinless.  But all you had to do was enter back into the world of everyday living and you soon became a sinner again.  The bible teaches us that we are sinners, however, by the grace of God and following His biblical outline for our lives we can be saved.  

I remember how elated I felt that day many years ago.  I knew it was the right thing for me to do and that is how I was choosing to live my life.  No I have not always done it well, I’ve made many a mistakes, but God was there to help me through them.

My question to you today is do you have the same vigor and love for the Word as you did the day you were baptized?  Have you become complacent? It is not unusual for us humans to fall into the trap of everyday living and lose our excitement about God and His word.  

This week I challenge you to do, say or act just a little more enthused about your Heavenly Father and the wonders that He can bring into your life.

What Ever Happened to Modesty?

I know I am an old lady, that is OK, I get that.  But what has happened to any sort of modesty in this world?  I can't turn on the TV without being bombarded with almost completely naked people, espeically women.  Sure they put a little flag over their breasts and private parts, but what makes people think that the curve of a woman's back into her hip is not sexy.  Some of the most sexy scences I have seen in movies or read in books are where the writer tells you how sexy it is without saying the words. 

Romance is sexy ladies.  Imagination is sexy.  The mystery of the unseen is sexy.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW YOUR NAKED BODY!

Evidently you do not realize you are God's child and God does not approve of being immodest. Come on girls, you really do need to think more of yourself than to show it all off.  You are better than that.  Try being different for a change, dress modestly. Dressing modestly is fun, beautiful and alluring.  There is nothing more beautiful than a self confident woman dressed appropriately and holding herself in God's light.

Please ladies, think highly of yourself and dress appropriately.

“Oh, it’s good enough for Wednesday”

This article has been on my heart for some time, almost a year now.  I am talking to myself in this one, not at anyone so please remember that as you read it.

 I was getting ready for Bible study one Wednesday evening and had been doing stuff around the house.  Finally 5 minutes before it was time to leave I decided it was time to change my clothes.  I was changing my clothes and looked in the mirror and said, “Oh, it’s good enough for Wednesday”.  That thought has not left my mind.  What am I thinking? It is good enough for Wednesday!!!  This is God I am going to see (I know He is everywhere)!  I also know that God will take us as we are.  Sinners that we are, homeless, broken, pieces of shattered clay, we can come to Him in any physical or mental state and He loves us, as long as we come to Him.  I know this!!

But don’t you think God appreciates us putting some effort into how we present ourselves to Him?  I know it is not necessary, but if we can get dressed up to go out, or dressed up to go to work, don’t you think we can get dressed up to go worship and praise our Lord?  It just seems like sometimes we don’t put any effort into things anymore. 

 Remember growing up with your “Sunday” clothes.  Mom would always say, don’t get your Sunday clothes dirty, or save that dress for Sunday and special occasions.  Aren’t the ability and the pleasure that we have in worshiping our Father in heaven a special occasion?  It is to me, and I want to start being that way more.  I want to start taking more time getting ready to worship my Father in heaven.  This would include being physically and mentally ready to worship.  Going to worship with a song in my heart, the Lord on my mind, and extra special attention given to what I put on my body.

 God wants our best and wants the best for us, so I’m going to try harder.  Don’t expect to see me in one of the fancy hats though, because I don’t look good in hats, wish I could, but just can’t pull it off.   :)

Praise God!!

So Excited

The writers conference was wonderful.   I learned so much from some very talented people.  I had the opportunity to learn from some published authors, and was able to get information from an agent.  What more could a potential author ask for.

Keep your eyes out for some new information coming from the American Christian Writers, and the new chapter here in Anderson, the American Fiction Christian Writers.

Also, just want you to know I have three books that I am working on.

1 - Purity through Christ (for teenage girls)
2 - 101 Last Meals "Before You Start Your Diet"
3 - An unnamed novel based on a woman named Stella.

Also, I will be starting a Newsletter for the ladies at Taylors church of Christ in January.

Looking forward to all these opportunities that God is opening the doors for me to develope myself so I can share his word.

Praise God!
Lillian