Issue 25 - Day 1

Titus 2

1 Titus 2:3-5
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.

This is not just a set of rules for old women, nor even a set of instruction for younger married women. The chapter deals with everyone. But I think this passage reflects badly on our society. “Aged women” are ignored as irrelevant at best, no-one teaches anyone anything. No-one listens to teaching even in schools. Young women do not know how to love their husband, nor young men to love their wives, often preferring not to marry at all. Especially here in central London the majority of parents do not know how to love their children. They fail to discipline, they fail to provide (child poverty is at an all time high), and they don’t spend any time with their children.As a church we are a little better, but we have room to improve. Discipleship needs to be ongoing, not just in spiritual matters, but also in practical things. What are we teaching our youth? What are those married a while teaching the newly married? What are we teaching about bringing up children? Our neighbourhood is in desperate need of these things, and we must be doing our part as children of God.

Pray for older people that they would teach and be respected. Pray for the younger that they would learn, and learn to love. Pray for families in this area that through our witness they may come to know God and receive his answers to the problems they face in their lives, day by day.