Titus 2 Learn to love Part 20


Titus 2:4-5

“Then you can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”

Have you ever thought about your kids or spouse thinking something like, “I may love you but right now I don’t particularly like you”? If you’ve never thought about love like this before, it may seem a strange thing to say but the truth is that when you truly love someone there can be times when you are frustrated with them, angry at them, or really just don’t like their actions or words. Paul tells Titus to teach the older women to teach the younger women to love their husbands and families because, the truth is, we all need to be taught how to truly love one another. Love is not the wishy-washy emotions the world seems to think it is, but rather, love is a choice. We must be taught and choose to love because our sinful inclination is to be selfish, but also because God chose to love us first. Love is choosing a commitment to another person.

Our text today teaches us a very different view of family life and relationships than the world does. The Bible affirms the foundation of the family unit in society. The gospel was a liberating power for women in a culture and time where they were treated like chattel. The world today demeans and marginalizes the stay-at-home mother, but parents and mothers have received a high calling and great responsibilities. Being a mother comes with privileges, priorities and a purpose. The unique privilege of motherhood is to stay at home and raise their children. Women must be self-controlled and pure in all areas of life including orderliness, cleanliness and financial responsibilities. The Bible says women are to be kind and busy at home, but not just there. Proverbs 31: 16 says, “She considers a field and buys it, out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.” If financial needs demand that a woman bring in an income that is something that each family must work out, but it is a blessing to be a stay-at-home mother. Children will remember the time you spent with them and your kindness, but also your absence, so this must be carefully decided. You cannot get back those first five critical years of their lives.

Paul gives us a purpose for this way of living: so that the world will not malign the word of God. The world will observe your actions and wonder why you live the way you do. Why do you respect your husband even though he’s not perfect? Because the Bible tells us to! We must display the difference Jesus makes in our lives, homes and hearts so that by our lifestyle we commend the Lord Jesus Christ. How well have you invested in the lives of your children? Devote your life to teaching your children to love the Lord and be an example of Christian living. We need to acknowledge our defeats and struggles before God and seek the help of older women when we are struggling. Earnestly seek to know God’s word, respect your husband, learn to love your family and live out God’s word in your life. By the working of the Holy Spirit, choose to love, choose to respect and choose God because He has commanded us to.

1. Why is love a choice? 

2. Look up 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. What does this tell us about love?

3. Look up John 13:34-35. Why are we told to love?

4. Look up Psalm 127:3. What does this tell us about being a mother and what does that mean for us?

5. Look up Ephesians 5:22-33. What does this tell us about the relationship between husband and wife? 

Gracious God and heavenly Father, I come before you now to thank you for the beautiful relationships you have given me in my life. Please fill me with a desire to love my spouse and children and forgive me when I lose self-control. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and guide us in all our family decisions. Forgive me for my sins, not because I am worthy but in Jesus Name alone. Amen.


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