Teachers of good things....

Titus 2:3-5-"the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

Teachers of good things.  Well that sounds simple enough.  But of course the more I prayed about it, the more God pressed on my heart that there is more to this part than just teaching my kids "good things". 

What I got from this part is standing up for what is truth.  Teaching truth to people who do not know better or are choosing to do "bad things".  It's so easy to ignore when people are saying something is ok when the bible says its a sin.  It's easy to keep our mouths shut when people are making fun of Christians because we do not want to cause waves.  So I went to the bible to see what it said.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.  For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.  2 Timothy 4:1-5  NIV

What did you get from these verses?  I hate to put an eisegesis on this passage because my desire is to read the bible with a exegesis style.  (Eisegisis is when you try to import a subjective, preconceived meaning in a text and exegesis is an attempt to discover the meaning of the text objectively).  I've read and reread this passage several times.  It sounds to me like we are suppose to be teaching what is good, right?  Even though others may choose to hear "what their itching ears" desire we are suppose to stand up and say "nope, you've got it wrong, here is what is right and I tell you this because I love you". 

Ephesians 4:15 says "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."

I think this verse is key to teaching good things.  Speaking in truth AND love.  It's sometimes easy to love someone so we don't tell them the harsh truth or you are upset with someone and sick of holding back and lash out with a hurtful truth.  The bible plainly says speaking in both truth and love.  Man, I am really not good at that! 

This Titus 2 Woman thing is not as easy as it sounds!

Lord, God, Help me to understand how to speak to people I love in truth and love.  Help me to say what You want me to in the way that shows them Your love.  I need you to shut my mouth until I know for sure I can speak in love what I know is from You.  And when I know it is time to speak, give me courage to do so.  No matter the cost.