Teach the Older Women

“You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine….

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.” (Titus 2:1,3)

Of all people, an older woman can feel the most unneeded. Irrelevant. Her kids moved out of the house long ago. Her career is over. Her husband is gone or often preoccupied. Do older women really matter?

Absolutely! The Bible speaks directly to older women’s hearts and lives: “Teach older women to be reverent in the way they live.” Far from being irrelevant, God calls on older women to be reverent—to be models of godliness for the rest of us. Isn’t that so often the case? For many Christians, it’s been an older woman—a mother or grandmother or caring older woman at church—who has encouraged us in our faith in Jesus more than anyone else. An older woman’s quiet reverence for her Savior casts a wide shadow of blessing over the people in her life.

As she lives reverently, an older woman is to watch out for two specific sins: First, “not to be slanderers.” Of course, anyone of any age or gender can be a gossip and a slanderer. Yet, the Bible indicates that sometimes older women are especially susceptible to that temptation. God doesn’t want older women to fill their days with empty—or hurtful—talk about others. Be careful not to let your ears crave the latest gossip. Don’t let your heart rejoice at sharing news that others aren’t supposed to hear.

Second, older women are not to be “addicted to much wine.” Of course, anyone of any age or gender can drink too much alcohol. Yet, the Bible indicates that sometimes older women are especially susceptible to that temptation. Moments of meaninglessness aren’t to be filled with wine.

Instead, God wants older women to see the purpose he’s given to them: “To teach what is good.” Older women are called to be teachers. Of whom? Younger women. The next verses go on to describe all that older women can teach to younger women. That will be our next devotion.

Dear older women, you matter so much more than you might think or feel. Your quiet, reverent faith in Jesus is a blessing to us all. When older women fill their days with encouraging others to trust in the Lord, God’s people are blessed.

Dear Lord God, thank you for older women. Protect them from feelings of meaninglessness and bless your people with reverent women who encourage all of us in our faith in Jesus. Amen.

Pastor Nathan