The Example of Older Women

In Titus 2:2-3 we get a clear exhortation for older women to teach the younger how to live godly lives. We see a similar pattern to how Paul talked about men. 

"In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good." (Titus 2:3)

When Paul refers to older women, he is not necessarily talking about elderly women. Rather, Paul is referring to those women who have had a husband and kids for some time. Women are to lead by example for the women that may be some years behind them in life experience.

"[They are to teach what is good], so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands… " (Titus 2:4-5)

Older women should encourage younger women. Subsequently, the younger women should learn from the example of older Christian women, not from the culture. 

This is important so that the gospel will not be slandered. These instructions were not to demean women but to elevate them. From Genesis 1 on, we see the example of man and woman working alongside each other. This follows the pattern of the gospel. The Gospel is always portrayed in the relationship between husband and wife. A husband is bound to his wife just as Jesus prayed in the high priestly prayer that we should be one with him as he is one with the Father. 

Paul teaches that older women teach the younger, not just because it's pragmatic, but because he wants to maintain the tradition so that the Word of God is not slandered. 

Therefore we pray:

* For women to live godly lives 

* For young women to learn from older 

* For men to be godly husbands, this empowering wives 

* For children to see the efforts of love in their mothers 

* As we live out the Gospel in our families, that God’s word may not be slandered