Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, 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. – Titus 2:3-5
Reading these few verses woman may feel like it’s quite a To-Do list for them. I need to do this, and this, and that, and the list goes on and on, sending us on a self-righteous journey that will eventually end in despair, guilt and condemnation why? Because we are not perfect, and when we fail in trying to be like this, the devil will just jump onto the opportunity in telling us that “See! Look what you did! You will never be reverent in behaviour, you can never love your husband, you are not pure, etc.”. Trying to do things, even with the best of motives, out of our own strength is taking away what God can do through us. Trying to do or be like the woman described above is very noble and inspiring. But I’ve learned over the last period of my life that whenever there’s a “to-do” list in the bible, your grace alarm needs to go off telling you that it is NOT all there is.
So what is it then? What does these verses mean? It is important to NOT STOP READING HERE, if you read a few verses further, you will notice the following…
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. – Titus 2:11-14
It becomes quite clear, that the grace that you and I already have, is teaching us to be pure, loving, self-controlled, etc. We are not alone in trying to achieve what verses 3-5 is telling us. I almost want to say we DON’T EVEN HAVE TO TRY. The Grace of God is in us, with us teaching us, helping us. It is only through the grace that is already revealed through Jesus, in us… that we can bear these fruits as an automatic by product. Any other kind of attempt will end tragically.
Remember that you are not alone, the Grace of Jesus is working in you. Let Him do His thing… and sit back and watch the fruit grow!
F