Mentoring. It is a God-ordained, God-blessed thing. In Titus 2, Paul told Titus to teach the older men and women in the church the value of mentoring the younger men and women. I have had some godly women speak into my life over the years…some I know personally, and some I do not know.
I have also had the privilege of mentoring a few younger women. It is a task that I feel terribly inadequate to do, yet the Lord has placed them in my life, and I in theirs for a reason. I take the job of mentoring very seriously, and always pray regularly that the Lord would equip and enable me.
In Titus 2:2-5, Titus is to encourage the older women to be reverent in the way they live and not to be slanderers. Now, I don’t think there is a single one of us who wakes up in the morning and thinks, “I want to be an irreverent slanderer today.” Anyone? No, I didn’t think so.
So, why would Paul instruct Titus to even address these issues? It helps to understand the original words that Paul would have used. The Greek word for reverent implies that these women should conduct themselves as if God were right beside them watching their every move. They should never do anything that would cause them embarrassment if Jesus showed up at that moment. The truth is that Jesus is watching our every move. We should always engage in reverent behavior. Sacred behavior.
When we think of the word ‘slander’ we think of saying things about another person that may or may not be true, but saying it in a way that intentionally causes harm. The Greek word used in verse 3 for slanderers is….hold onto your hats…..diabolos. This, my friends, is not a compliment. Paul is telling Titus to flat out tell the older women that they do not need to be a ‘she-devil’! Ouch!! I’ve known a few. I’ve been one.
I’m sorry to add insult to injury, but the Greek word diabolos is the word that is used to reference the Devil as the chief-demon-in-charge. It is also the word that was applied to Judas by Jesus when he betrayed our Lord. Ladies, this is no small matter. We are not to be she-devils, stirring up trouble and speaking hurt toward others.
Finally, the older women are to encourage the younger women to be pure. The Greek word used here means that the younger women are to live with integrity. It is specifically speaking of sexual integrity. They are to be sexually pure, whether single or married. How much does our world need a little purity today!
So, I encourage you to do two things….ask the Lord to give you a mentor. Then, when you have walked with the Lord for a bit, ask Him to give you the privilege of mentoring a younger woman.
#TheLoft
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We are going to provide a months worth of prompts each week so that you can be thinking and planning for the coming weeks.
This Week’s Prompt: Mentors
October 21 Prompt: Autumn
October 28 Prompt: A Picture Prompt – take a look at the picture below and write a post about how it speaks to you.
October 28 – Picture Prompt at The Loft
November Prompts: The month of November will be all about Thanksgiving and being thankful. Any post, picture, poem, song about thankfulness is what we are linking up this month.
I hope you will plan to join us each week at The Loft Link-Up.
Now, it is time to link-up!!
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