Modeling Before Them and Encouraging Them

The following is an excerpt from Martha Peace's book called "Becoming a Titus 2 Woman." It is found on pages 54-56 in the section entitled "Her Response to Younger Women." This particular section deals with "modeling before them" and "encouraging them." Copyright 1997 by Focus Publishing.

In addition to teaching what is good, a Titus 2 Woman is also to live out Biblical doctrine in her life. She respects the governing authorities (I Peter 2:17), she shows respect to the pastors of her church (I Thessalonians 5:33). She has the attitude of being FOR her husband or the younger woman’s husband, not against them (Proverbs 31:12). She is like the “Excellent Wife” in Proverbs 31:12 who “does him (her husband) good and not evil all the days of her life” (adaptation added).

She admits when she is wrong because she is a humble woman. She readily asks forgiveness. She does not overreact if others think she is less than perfect. It is not the end of the world and her feelings are not hurt and her life ruined if she has been reproved. She truly understands that the “wounds of a friend ARE faithful” (Proverbs 27:6, emphasis added). She is more concerned with glorifying God than in looking good or being proven right. She knows her heart is deceitful and she wants to be pruned and molded by God. As a result, God pours out His grace to her and uses her mightily for His glory.

In addition to being humble before God and others, a Titus 2 woman uses her spiritual gifts. Whether possessing the gift of teaching, exhorting, organizing, or mercy, she rightly uses her gifts not for self-edification but for their intended purpose of building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). She also unselfishly uses the talents God has given her and is generous like the “Excellent Wife” in Proverbs 31 who “extends her hand to the poor; and she stretches out her hand to the needy” (Proverbs 31:20).

A godly older Titus 2 woman does much more than just LIVE a godly life, she TALKS about the Lord; and she especially talks TO the younger woman about Him. She does not have to possess the official gift of teaching to teach the younger women. She does not hold to the view “my faith is private. I just let my life show my faith.” Certainly, her life DOES model her faith but she also speaks up and out in love as she “teaches what is good” (Titus 2:3).

In addition to teaching the younger woman, she encourages the younger woman.

Encourage is the Greek word sophronizo. It means “to recall one to his senses, to admonish (warn), to exhort, to spur on.” Sophronizo comes from the root word sophron which means “of sound mind, prudent, self-controlled, sensible.”

Sophronizo encompasses more than just the greeting card mentality of “I’m thinking of you today” or “Just a note to say ‘Hi.’” It is encouraging the younger woman to make the sensible choice. It may include energetically urging or warning her to do what is right.

This kind of encouraging is the bedfellow of teaching what is good. In other words, it takes both teaching AND sophronizo. It reminds me of the Apostle Paul. He was gifted by God as a master teacher of doctrine but intertwined throughout his teaching was “beseeching, warning, reproving, praying, urging, exhorting, and encouraging.” (See Colossians 1:28-29 and Acts 20:18-21, 31).