Sunday Scripture

My pastor has been preaching through the book of Titus in our Sunday afternoon service the past few weeks.  These verses have really been working on my heart! 

Titus 2:3-5

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like to think of myself as aged!  In fact, most people think I'm younger than I really am, and I LIKE that A LOT!!!  But, I loved the way my pastor explained this.  We are all "aged" compared to someone.  Even many of the girls in our church have another girl in the church that's younger than them!  Therefore, we are all to be teaching those that are younger than us.  We are all to be shewing thyself a pattern of good works (Titus 2:7) to someone else around us.  

Several things in this passage don't apply to me: i.e. loving my husband and children, and being obedient to my husband.  Even though they don't apply right now, that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be learning them.  Two things specifically in these verses stood out to me.  First, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness.  Since we now understand that everyone is "aged" relative to someone younger than them, this phrase doesn't just apply to "old people."  It applies to ALL of us.  Talk about convicting!  Some people would say all God cares about is our heart.  What's on the outside isn't important, it's what's on the inside that counts.  I agree to a point, but this verse CLEARLY shows that God cares about our behaviour too!  He wants us women to behave in a holy way.  Behaviour takes in to account everything we do: speech, appearance, attitudes, conduct, what we think, where we go, and the list goes on.  It's ALL to be holy.  But, what does it mean to be holy?  Perhaps this is a question not easily answered. All I know is that God is perfectly holy, and that the Bible is the best place to learn how I can behave in a holy way.  In fact, this passage in Titus goes on to list some holy behaviours.

The second thing that stood out to me in this passage is the word "good." It comes up twice.  First the aged women are to be teachers of good things, and the young women are to be good.  I don't know about you, but I REALLY like good things.  Like yesterday, my friend and I went to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  That place is full of good things!  And they give out samples!!!  Chocolate is good.  Warmth is good.  Friends are good.  Presents are good.  Sunshine is good.  Good is good!  As Christians we should desire not only to BE good, but to TEACH good.  It's pretty hard to TEACH good without BEING good.  Get the connection? :)  God wants us to be good and teach good, because He knows that it's good for us, and it will make other people good.  And all of that is GOOD!

Finally, I really like that last part of these verses.  It sums everything up.  It answers all the questions.  Why?  Why be good?  Why teach?  Why behave in a holy manner? Why love your husband and children? Why be chaste?  What's the point?!  That the word of God be not blasphemed.  Like it or not, our behaviour is a reflection of Christ.  It's a testimony of our Saviour.  This statement has serious implications.  We are capable by our behaviour of bringing blasphemy on the word of God!  God has clear expectations and clear consequences.  You don't mess around with God.  Not blaspheming God's Word is great motivation for living in accordance to these verses.  We are His children, and we should desire to live for Him.  After all, He saved us!