Titus

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." (NIV)

The amplified Bible says it like this, "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 to be teachers of what is right and noble, So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their husbands and children, To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured(kind-hearted), adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach(blasphemed or discredited)."

I like to think by older they mean more mature spiritually. I was challenged this weekend during our first annual Deacon's retreat. And convicted. Our Pastor's wife shared how when she first began serving as a Pastor's wife, she had no one to come along side of her and show her the ropes. She didn't know how she should act, what she should do, what she should wear! As a relatively new Christian, and a pastor's wife at that, she often felt inept. While there were plenty who were willing to talk about what she did wrong, no one was willing to show her how to do "right."
Am I willing to walk alongside someone perhaps not so far along in their spiritual walk? To help them seek Him and trust Him? Am I worthy? It's a humbling position. But we can't expect that our Pastor's wife be responsible for the welfare of ALL the women in the church! The Deacon's wives hold that responsibility. The mature women of the church hold that responsibility. Just from this weekend, I feel God planning a big work in me, in my husband, in our family and in our church. In 1 Timothy, Paul writes to Timothy about the roles of Deacons and their wives. The church was blessed because the deacons were there to serve. Their wives were likewise there to serve. They were trustworthy. No task was beneath them. They did not speak maliciously about others. In Acts 6, the first seven were chosen. Like those brought forth to help Moses divide the work, these first chosen ones were there to serve. And the first one chosen, Stephen, was a martyr. Halelujah.