Today we are going to look at Titus 2:3-5. These are some of my favorite verses. If you look at any of the internet sites I run you will notice these verses of some reference to them on the site. Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
I looked up the word discreet in the Webster's 1828 dictionary and was very interested in what I found. The word means to be separate or distinct. I have always thought of this as keeping my mouth shut but that is not what it means. To be separate or distinct.
We could look at being different from the world, and we should be but the Lord really lead me to talk of how we as women need to be different from men. Or how to be feminine.
While studying for today I ran across an article and it was really good. I want to read a little of what she wrote "The lady who smiled at her children, and the woman who showed honor to her husband, the hard-working church helper, those I held up as examples to be admired...by my girls! Yes, girls were indoctrinated to be ladies by the examples of the women I admired."
I really can not think of the subject of being a lady without thinking of something that happened to my FIL. He was going shopping and got to the door of the store at the same time that a woman got there and being who he is he held the door for her. As she stormed past him she said "you do not need to hold the door for me because I am a lady." He responded " I am doing it because I am a gentleman."
Woman do not want to be ladies anymore. It started in the 19020's when ladies demanded the vote and culminated in the 60's when we just wanted everything that men had.
Catherine Marshall said " She says how the emancipation of woman came about with Chrisitianity. We, as women, were given a dignity we had never had before. We were revered, protected and loved. In essence, put on a pedestal. This all changed when we wanted to be equal with men. In order to be equal we had to step down from our pedestal. Now we have the "right" to swear, smoke, get drunk... Our dignity was lost when we gained these "rights". Men no longer feel as romantic about us as they did our grandmothers. " Song of Solomen had a great love for his wife. When I think of this it makes me think of Proverbs 31. That wife was revered by her husband. She was a lady. Her clothing was silk and purple. Very feminine. I was not intending to talk of clothing but I will just as a side note. I am teaching Rebekah the difference betwwn men and ladies and that has also allowed for a neat example while we are out. She does not read yet but I know that if I send her to a public restroom she will make it into the correct one. Why? The pictures. The world has given her a great example of ladies, in a dress and Men, in pants.
I am also teaching her that every girl grows up to be a woman but not every woman is a lady. In the article I wrote this mother said. Many sweet little girls did not learn from their mothers how to be thankful, obedient wives, and little boys never learned how to be real men and take care of the women in their life. I am sure today’s divorce rate reflects some of the “gender neutral” teaching. But the children in my life will know little girls love flowers and that boys take care of mamas. I indoctrinated them—here a little, there a little, line upon line, precept upon precept. I do want my boys to be real men and my girls to be fine ladies. That is a biblical precept that we need to learn. She goes on to say some of the things she did with her granddaughter. “We love to sweep. It makes our floor look so clean.” “Your daddy will be so proud of you. You are such a good helper.” “Big Papa is so strong, and he loves baked fish and fresh salad out of the garden.” “He really loves green beans. You love green beans, too, don’t you?” She was training her to be a lady.
She would point out to her daughters ladies that walked like ladies. One thing that I did with our teens to teach them some of the differences was to bring in different shoes. I would have them try on a pair of high, high heel shoes and have them walk around and then we would talk about the strange woman in Proverbs. Pro 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
Pro 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Pro 5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
Then we would try on a pair of combat boots, These where my favorite growing up. Just give me a pair of baggy jeans, t-shirt, leather jacket and combat boots and I was happy. But I did not walk like a lady. I walked like a man.
Woman are not designed to be like a man. We have demanded the right to be in the military and yet we are not capable of doing what needs to be done. One lady has written a book called Our Bodies, Not Our Own and it is so good. It talks of how women and men are just designed by their creator differently. Without going into detail men can live in the rugged with out some of the facilities we as women nee. If you throw a ball at a little boy he will try to catch it. Throw a ball at a little girl and she will avoid it. I feel sorry for my BIL in the military as they are trained to treat the woman like the men. How sad for their wives when they get home.
We need to retain that graciousness that is so missing in our lives. There needs to be a distinct difference that all around us can see.
I want to finish with something from that article. Now it is my grandchildren who are being indoctrinated. So while Zephyr, Laura Rose’s mama, was getting her things together, preparing to leave, I put little Laura in my lap and picked up a brand-new pair of white socks and began to put them on her, “Rachel Stoll wears clean white socks with her tennis shoes, and they look so nice.” And, of course, I added with great emphasis, “Everybody knows that she’s a real lady.” Laura Rose cocked her head back and studied my face, then nodded intently like she clearly understood, “Ladies wear white socks.”
This little one may have been a little confused about what ladies do but she will grow up to be a lady. I desire for our church for us to be the ladies we need to be so that are MEN can be what they need to be for God.
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