January 21, 2016

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored. Titus 2:3-5 (NASB)

A Titus 2 woman. There have been sermons on her, books written about her, groups of older women named after her, speakers at camps talk about her but just who is she? Last night I am pretty sure I got a taste of what and who she is.
A few weeks ago I got a phone call from a very dear woman in her early 20’s. She asked me if I would be open to doing a weekly bible study with her and a friend. They wanted to learn God’s word but needed direction. I said I would be honored to meet with them. I then suggested we meet after church to see what books we had at church available to study.
Later in the week she texted me saying she and her friend had talked about it and they didn’t want to do a book. They just wanted to study the bible straight out of the bible. They wanted to go verse by verse and learn from me. Yikes! I have been a bible study leader for over 20 years and taken several bible classes but I have never taught in that fashion, ever. The Lord was definitely stretching me. I said OK then started praying about what book to start.
Here I sat with a bible containing 66 books. We could start at the beginning, Genesis or go through Exodus, lots of life lessons there. Nehemiah came to mind as it really is my favorite Old Testament book; I could teach tenacity and fighting in prayer. Then there are the Psalms and Proverbs or how about Isaiah(no, too much too soon). OK, the new testament; we could do an overview of the gospels or learn of the Acts of the apostles. Galatians and Ephesians came to mind and Jude (the shortest book). Whew, Lord where to go?
God took me on a little look back in my life. He had me reevaluate what in scripture made a difference in my life. What book or verses were a turning point? What did I feel confident in? From what would these young ladies benefit? Then it hit me, Romans. Ah, studying that book in depth for a year and a half was a major turning point in my life. The letter Paul wrote to believers in Rome would be our great adventure together. I was excited!
Texting them I advised they bring a real with pages bible (not just on their phone). There is something about being able to touch and feel pages and write in the margin that feels genuine to me. It probably means more to me because that is what I am used to because there is nothing wrong with having the bible downloaded on one’s phone.
I use my phone to look up scripture in different translations but I love my marked up, dog eared, highlighted 1986 New American Standard. I also suggested they bring a notebook to take notes and maybe a highlighter or colored pencils.
The time came and as they sat around my dining room table I saw an answer to prayer before my eyes. Two twenty-agers (as my husband calls them) who could be anywhere else wanted to be sitting at my table, bibles open, pens in hand hungering to learn God’s word! I immediately felt so inadequate, humbled and in love with Jesus. We chatted a bit, prayed and got down to it. My bible study training kicked in and we were off. The Holy Spirit guided my every word as we dug in to the words Paul wrote to his beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.
They were shocked at how much they learned from just the first verse! They learned volumes about the writer of the letter. They learned what it meant to be called and set apart. We got through verse 7 as the hour flew by. I challenged them to write out the first chapter of Romans this week and by the end of our study we will have written the entire book by hand! One of the girls said “I have never taken so many notes in bible study before. I have never learned so much in one hour!  I’m going to need a bigger notebook.” She said she was hungering for the word and was not finding it taught in her weekly peer group or even in her weekly church service. I told her that her greatest teacher is the Holy Spirit and that if she truly wanted insight into the scripture then she should pray and ask Him to teach her, guide her and give her clarity. The Holy Spirit would do just that. That concept was new to her.
I am not sure what this time with these two precious girls will be but I know that Jesus brought us together and I am going to do everything I can to pour my experience and wisdom in to them. Neither of them are married yet and I pray these sessions in study will prepare them for the future. I wish someone had done this for me in my twenties.
Dear ladies where ever you are in your life there is always someone younger looking up to you that needs mentoring. Young girls are crying out for positive roll models. They need your guidance and experience on how to live life. They need your one on one. As I learned last night they aren’t getting it from their peers or, in some cases, the pulpit. Are you living your life as a Titus 2 woman? Are you one who is a positive influence? Do you even want to be? Young girls are out there seeking you. Ask God to give you the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Maybe you need a mentor. Pray on that too. What a joy it is to serve a living God and make a difference in generations coming after us.
#whenyouwalkwiththewise