Titus 2 Men And Women

Raising Well Rounded Christian Children
by Teddi Neevel

For several years, I have wondered why so many young people grow up, finish their formal education and then don't like their job or career. I have seen a restlessness that is deeply rooted in the you ng adults of our American society. I thought perhaps it was just unrest among the un-saved however, that did not prove to be the case. This seems to be a phenomenon that crosses nearly all of our American cultures, at every level of the economy, and in nearly all faiths.

About a hundred years ago, when my paternal grandfather was 15 he was hired by the railroad to ride the tracks and check for damage to the tracks and the telegraph lines. He and a friend spent the entire summer riding their horses along s everal hundred miles of railroad track. It didn't matter what the weather was; they cared for their horses and rode everyday. They also fished and hunted for their food, cooked over a campfire, slept under the stars, bathed and did their laundry where ever they found enough water. As young teens they were responsible enough to be on their own for several months.

In 1930, at the age of 12 a young girl named Marjorie went to work as a mother's helper. Marjorie helped do the housework, cook meals and care for the children of the household. She also attended school herself. In payment for her work she received a bed to sleep in, meals to eat, and 3 outfits of clothes per year. Marjorie did this work until after she was 18 years old, when she chose to quit college and get married. That hard working girl named Marjorie became my mother.

In the 1960's, at least where I lived, teenagers were anxious to be 15 and be able to get a job other than baby sitting and paper routes. The prospect of earning their own money was almost as exciting as getting their driver license or going on their first date. But then dating and in many cases driving required you have a job so you could pay for gas or the price of an evening of bowling. Parents didn't pay for dates, and in middle income families they didn't buy their children cars, or pay for insurance. Now I know that in 40 years there have been many changes...I'm just afraid that many of the changes are not for the good of the individual.

While I would not want to return to forced labor or servitude for children, I do believe that as Christian parents some of us have really done our children a dis-service. We have accepted as gospel the idea that children need to be well rounded; that in order to be successful adults, children need to participate in as many extra curricular programs as possible. Sadly, I have heard parents say, "Well, they only get one chance to be kids so they need to play and have fun." Please, don't misunderstand me. I don't think playing is wrong. I do believe children should have fun, but not to the exclusion of learning to work.

You see the problem with thinking childhood should be exclusively fun time is not God's thinking. Many parents put a great deal of emphasis on education and grades. Insisting that the child must get the education they need to succeed as adults. However, all the book learning in the world won't bring success if the individual doesn't know how to work. While childhood is a time for book learning it is also the time to learn to work.

1Timothy 4:12-13 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine."

These verses in1Timothy show us that it is important to teach our children sound doctrine, personal purity, and Christian living. We frequently hear Proverbs 22:6 used to prove the need for spiritual training, but isn't it equally important to train a child how to care for themsleves and others?

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

I have heard employers and supervisors complain about employees who are afraid they will work harder than the individual beside them, or have to be continually told what to do. There is a serious lack of self-motivation... recognition of work that needs to be done and just doing it. You see, as we have accepted society's teaching and as parents have begun working away from home, we have neglected other commandments God gave us concerning child rearing. Look at the following three passages of scripture. In these God tells us to teach while we walk, sit, when we head for bed and when we arise. The only way that we can teach continually is if we are workng side-by-side with our children.

Exodus 18:19-20 "Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do."

Deuteronomy 6:7 "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Deuteronomy 11:19 "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

What are the benefits of this teaching?

• First of course is obedience to God.
• Secondly, you develop a lasting closeness with your children. They are use to listening to you and talking with you. They know they can confide in you and that you want to advise them.
• Thirdly, your children develop self-confidence. They know they are capable of beginning and completing a task. Establishing their own homes as adults will be easier because of the skills they learn at your side.
• Fourthly, they have learned a work ethic that will make them productive adults.

It is a sad situation when young people reach adulthood and don't know how to cook a meal, clean a house, do laundry, mow a lawn, or change the oil. They marry and are faced with chores that need to be done and they have no idea where to begin.

Many marriages today end with the words, "I'm just not happy." God does not promise anyone happiness. God promises joy, but even that joy comes from grief that He might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:3 "...to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."

Another verse that many people have difficulty accepting is Psalm 90:10 "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

God promises that the strength of life is found in labor and grief, not play and happiness.

We often hear Titus 2:3-5 taught to encourage older women to get involved in the lives of younger women and I love this passage of scripture. Sadly, we seldom hear the rest of the chapter being taught. Verses 1-2 challenge the aged men. Verses 6-8 are mandating that someone teach the young men to be sober minded, spiritual, involved in charitable work and be of character that is above reproach. We may think this covers everyone but I want you to look at verses 9-10. I can just hear you saying, "I'm not a servant!" You are wrong, unless you are independantly wealthy. Each of us who works for a wage is the servant of our employer. Each of us who is self employed is the servant of our customer.

Titus 2:1-15 "

1. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
9. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
10. Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."

Verses 11-15 and on through chapter 3 go on to tell us that our conduct in this present world has a lasting effect on others. Young people who are not taught to work are uncomfortable and uncertain when their classroom education is finished. They expect life to be games and fun and happiness but they are doomed to disappointment be cause life is un-ending work. They have not been taught the blessing of knowing how to work. They don't realize that having a job is more important than whether you like the job.

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