The Older Women

Titus 2:2 KJV "That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

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;

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

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

6. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded."

When I read this today, I was thinking, basically that the older women are to be like the men, so they can teach the younger women. That how they are to be is so they can teach.

Looking around the web for this group of scripture I came across this:

In Tt 2:2-6, if Titus is to teach the older men, older women, and young men himself, why not teach the young women? They were saying it would give the appearance of evil for a man to teach a woman those things. Anyway this deserves further thought.

Someone serving the Lord should be producing the fruit of the Spirit which is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5: 22-23).

Self control

This article deals with self-control. I particularly like the part about appetites. It seems to fit in with simple living.

Restraining our Appetites

The final area I’ll mention has to do with restraining our appetites—and not just our appetites for food; it’s a matter of leisure and pleasure and indulgence of all kinds. The writer of Proverbs tells us that maturity in life is forgoing certain enjoyments, pleasures, and delights because they are not good for us at all. Proverbs 25:16 says, “When you’re given a box of candy, don’t gulp it all down; eat too much chocolate and you’ll make yourself sick” (the Message).

· Proverbs 2:12ff (NIV): Wisdom will save you from…the adulteress, from the wayward wife… who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.

· Proverbs 23:19-21 (NIV): Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

· Proverbs 21:17, 20 (NIV): He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich…. In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

· Proverbs 25:16 (NIV): If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit.

· Proverbs 25:27 (NIV): It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.

· Proverbs 30:20 (NIV): This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wickedness.

http://www.donelson.org/pocket/pp-050925.html

Which brings me to the questions of the day:

How are you doing as an older woman?

Do you live in a way that is appropriate for someone serving the Lord?

How is your speech, your attitude?

Are you producing the fruits of the Spirit in your life?

I am over 45. I am in the second half of my life, which is the older half. I still have children at home, one grown son, and three girls. You may read Proverbs 2:12 & 30:20 and think that is pie in the sky, but it is real. It could easily be explained as nothing. Without the person doing anything or very little, to bring this on herself. The alternative can literally stare you in the face while going about your daily duties of conservative wife and SAHM. It will appear like your own husband and basically just cut in. The person can be dismissed but the experience still there, and you will not know if they were serious or not. Unless we go around looking at the floor and not using our manners, self-control must come into play after the fact I suppose.

In our society also apart from "I have done no wickness" where things seem natural and what everyone does, there is also the wineries and the eateries. Maybe it is OK if you don't get drunk I don't know.

I do like having to have less, because it does teach self-control. It is a blessing in disguise.