Reverent in their Behavior

March 29, 2010 - 11:06 AM

March 2010

Dear Sisters,

How exciting to begin to explore Titus 2:3-5 together, the description of a godly woman within the local church! The Church is Christ's body, saved by His precious and spotless blood. As pastors' wives, we are linked together in church ministry. The church is what we are devoted to, as our husbands' helpmeets. As Neva says in this month's letter, we are "sisters-on-the-wall!"

As I read various versions of Titus 2:3, quoted by Neva, certain words jumped out at me: "Guide the older women into lives of reverence" (The Message), "Bid the older women" (Amplified), and "teach the older women to be reverent" (NIV). Guide, bid, teach-it seems that to be holy and useful to the Lord Jesus, we wives must first be guidable, teachable, and able to follow the godly men leading in our lives! The Apostle Paul also taught Titus, the church leader, that women have a big effect on whether the Word of God is honored, or whether it is dismissed as irrelevant by the world.

Let's seek the Lord and His grace to grow in fear and reverence of Him, and in humility and teach-ability toward those He has placed in authority over us in the Lord. I pray we are examples that will draw others to want Him and believe in Him all the more.

With you,
Sandy Hopler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reverent in their Behavior

by Neva Whitney (Vintage Faith Church, Manhattan, KS)

Dear Sisters-on-the-wall,

As I jotted down some thoughts for this month's article, I thought about all of you gals reading this-all the different pastors' wives that I'm working alongside within our Great Commission churches. What a blessing you are to my life! If our men are Brothers-on-the-wall, then I guess we can't help it, but that makes us Sisters-on-the-wall.

Recently I read a Faithwalkers daily devotional-written by a young and beautiful pastor's wife that I know personally (and who has four young children). Morgan's heart to encourage our movement of churches with her insight on a great verse really touched me, and I was encouraged not just by her good thoughts, but by her young mom's life. I remember well what every one of her days look like, what with four little ones under foot, and it really moved me that she took the time to put her thoughts down for our encouragement.

I also think of Jan Gordon. What an encouragement she was to me last fall when Rick and I attended Gator Christian Life's 30-year reunion in Gainesville, Florida. Jan and I hardly talked that whole weekend, but her service and life spoke volumes to me and to many others. Rick and I left Florida over 25 years ago and have been involved in churches in Maryland, all across Colorado, and now Kansas. And to come back to a campus and a city where Matt and Jan have labored faithfully for these past three decades-raising up laborers, year after year, and launching numerous church plants-was just amazing. Jan has been right alongside her husband while raising a beautiful family. Anyway, these girls have all deeply encouraged me. I see such a noble heart in these two women. Watching them holding down the home fort; observing their active service in the church. I am so thankful for their lives.

I am also thankful to Sandy Hopler and for her faithful ministry to us, month after month, as she edits, coordinates, and sends out this newsletter of encouragement for all of us. I am sure that it's pretty challenging, especially as she works with volunteer writers like us!

Sandy's plan, to look in depth at these Titus verses, should be just what we need to stay on the wall this year. I'm happy to throw this small contribution into the mix this month with some thoughts on "reverent in their behavior."

So here goes. . .

"Older Women are to be reverent in their behavior..."

What do you think of when you picture an older woman who is reverent in her behavior? I see a woman who fears God, honors her Lord, obeys her Savior, and in like manner honors and supports her husband. A reverent woman reveres God and shows it in how she treats other authorities in her life. She understands what a healthy fear of God looks like.

That fear is reflected in how she lives her every day life. How she dresses. How she talks. How she spends her time. How she interacts with people. I envision two aspects to this woman's life.

First, she has a face-to-face relationship with God. She is on her knees-at least in her heart. She is in tune with her Creator. She is in fellowship with Him. She is a woman of prayer and a woman who deeply respects her Lord's Word.

Then I have to picture that same woman showing her reverence in how she deals with all the people in her world: her husband, her children, Christians in the church, and those that don't know her God.

Picture a woman like Mother Theresa, only with a more modern look. How about an example like Ruth Bell Graham?

This reverent woman is with His people, and with them in their messes. She is changing dirty diapers and wiping runny noses on the young and old alike. And she does not lose her reverence.

A woman who is reverent in her behavior sees life from God's perspective and realizes that the simple daily routines are important.

People around her, who are watching her, who see her life, see that her heart is for God. Her life is centered on the things that matter to Him. She wants to live to please Him, and she wants to please her husband (and sees no dichotomy).

She speaks the truth when necessary. A reverent woman brings the Word into her daily conversations and shares what she is reading with those around her-because it is on her heart.

Definition:

To understand the phrase "reverent in their behavior," let's look at the dictionary. Reverent is defined as deferential, respectful, and worshipful. The antonym is irreverent. I can easily picture what irreverent behavior looks like and you probably can too (which is exactly why we need to take heed).

The dictionary offers the following words to define behavior as performance, actions, deeds, activities, manners, and conduct.

So my paraphrase might be something along this line, "respectful and worshipful conduct and actions."

Other Translations:

"Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers..." (The Amplified Bible).

"Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior" (The Message).

"Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good" (The New Living Translation).

A Warning:

There are verses in 1st Timothy, and these in Titus, which together offer several warnings for older women. Whether we like it or not ladies, we are these older women...especially before our churches.

So these warnings should be duly noted. Without God, and left to our own fleshly devices, we could easily be lazy busybodies, gossips, lacking self-control, and over-indulging. I picture very lonely old women, with no purpose to live for.

Conclusion:

As an older woman in our church, I have to keep asking myself, "Am I living my life in service to God? Do I fear Him? Do I want to obey Him? Do I honor and respect my husband? Would my people describe me as a reverent woman?" I sure hope so.

Am I saying and doing what's "right" in God's sight, not what always seems proper or even popular in the world's sight?

God bless you women of all ages today as you lay down your life for your husband, your children, your grandchildren, your church, and your lost community.

May all our lives please Him today!