Titus 2:3-5: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
In light of this passage, which answer most fits your experience with Titus 2 relationships? (You may choose more than 1.)
A) I am in a Titus 2 relationship right now, teaching or being taught these things.
B) I was taught these things by an older Christian woman, in an intentional and engaging way.
C) I am an older Christian woman who teaches these things to younger women in an intentional way.
D) I have a friend or mentor from whom I have learned many of these things, but not in a systematic or intentional way.
E) I have many Christian women friends, but have not been taught these things.
F) I would like to learn (or teach) these things, but don't know who would teach me (or, who I would teach).
G) I would not like to learn (or teach) these things.
H) Other (please leave a comment explaining this choice)
I think I would fall somewhere between D and E...I have watched many Christian women in their relationships with their husbands and children throughout my life (not any one specific mentor) to see what "works" and what doesn't. Unfortunately I can think of more of the things I don't want to do in my household (like constantly nag and gripe at my husband) than positive things that I want to carry out. Which then leads me to F...yes, I wish there were more women that were willing to take us under their wings and teach us in those ways.
ReplyDeleteJess, GREAT POST!!! I love the questions!
ReplyDeleteMy answer is H.
My church has recently began a new women's ministry focusing on Titus 2. I have been struggling with some personal things at home, and my dear sweet husband encouraged me to find a mentor. Well, after much prayer, from myself, dh, and a very close friend, we were all directed to the same woman. She agreed to be my mentor, and we have met once to talk and pray together. During this time, I confessed some sin and we discussed how that sin has effected me as a Christian, wife, mother, and daughter. We haven't met again, and honestly, I am unsure of what a kind of responsibility a mentor is supposed to have in this relationship and what responsibility I am supposed to have in this relationship.
Any suggestions you have, I would treasure your imput!
~~emmyj
Heather,
ReplyDeleteI think you hit on an interesting thing: that all too often, we see what other women have done and determine what NOT to do. I am so with you about D, E, & F all being true for me.
Emmy,
I don't know. Some friendships and some mentoring relationships are for a time. I can think of some women who have impacted me in short, concentrated times (one woman, like you- I met with only once, specifically focused on sin, and then never saw again). I think one of the difficulties of living in rush-rush-rush America is that the business of life often crowds out the concentrated times of learning and teaching that ought to be taking place- between older Christians & younger ones, between parents and children, and like this- Titus 2 mentoring relationships.
I would say that because of the way our society runs, there probably needs to be structure set to a relationship like this if it's going to "hold" this kind of teaching/mentoring tone over time. So, perhaps setting some kind of goals or intentions from the start would be good. ("can we meet 2x/month?", "can we read through ___ together?", "can you teach me how to _____?", that sort of thing.) those are my general thoughts. I wonder if anyone else has thoughts on your situation?
I would love to say that I am an A, but there are so many days when I need encouragement just to make it through that I feel like I am not able to fulfill all of the Titus 2 roles all by myself!
ReplyDeleteI rely on encouraging blogs such as yours and many others, as well as Christian fellowship, great books, and many other resources to help me become the wife and mother I long to be.
So I guess I have some D in there and a little F too. I would love to teach others things I have learned along the way (I was saved at 5 years old, and am now 26, you'd think I would have learned SOMEthing in 21 years of following Christ!!), but most days i feel like I constantly need encouragement from one source or another that I am doing "good enough". I wonder if that is a common problem among Christian women...
How interesting! I just wrote about this on my blog today! :-) If you have time to visit...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.xanga.com/georgene
I would say somewhere between A and D. As a single woman (and this isn't a complaint, but any means, just an observation...) there is only so much that I can learn without the ability to apply. But I have a good friend who from time to time will talk to me about these things, and I also have the opportunity to see her live them out in a beautiful marriage. That being said, she has also recently teamed up with another (newly married) friend of ours, and I am so grateful for that. I know if I ever do get married that she will be a valuable asset.
ReplyDeleteH) I have learned so much from my mom about being a godly wife and mother, but I don't think much of it was intentional. We have a great relationship and talk alot.
ReplyDeleteThe church we used to go to had a mentoring program called "Heart to Heart". I met with a woman for two years that I met through that ministry. She taught me how to crochet while I was on bedrest through my second pregnancy. I would really like to have a friend like that now. Maybe when we find a church God will bring another woman along.
I have also learned a lot throught reading good books. Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney, and The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer are two that come to mind. I'm reading Heaven at Home by Ginger Plowman right now and it looks to be good also.
Now that I have two daughters of my own, I hope to teach them about Biblical Womanhood. I've even bought books to read with them when they are teens! But for now, modeling submission to my husband, being reverent in my behavior, and working at home (I homeschool them too) are ways that I can by God's grace train them. Reading over Titus 2 reminds me that I need to focus on being Kind. Thanks for the reminder.