Titus Two (v3) Who?

This morning I was talking with one of my sisters in Christ (and in mission!) while we ate our breakfast at the Base.  We were talking about getting older.  About how our hair is getting grey and thin and how the grey doesn’t hold color well, and the thinness makes us not want to color it as often so it just gets greyer (and thinner!). 

Getting old isn’t all that fun!  I look down at my hands, and they’re definitely not the hands of a 20-year old!  I’ve been blessed with good health most of my life, so I’m still able to bend and twist and sit cross-legged, but it takes days, not hours, to recover from intense work out.  Staying up to all hours isn’t just unappealing, it’s pretty much impossible, as my yawning starts soon after 10pm!

This afternoon Daisy and I were talking with our outreach students while eating our lunch in El Callejon.  (Have I mentioned before how much my life seems to revolve around food?!) 

These three young ladies are part of a gap-year program ministering with us for two weeks.  They are 20, 21 and 23, and each has a passion for Jesus.  We’ve just loved our time with them!  They ask great questions, and are not afraid to wrestle with our lack of easy, simple answers. 

Today they were asking us for advice on books we would recommend they read.  My mention of Tim Keller’s awesome book on marriage, The Meaning of Marriage, moved us into a conversation about relationships.  We were able to share about the struggles and challenges of marriage, plus the importance of not compromising on finding a man who can be the spiritual head of the family. 

Daisy and I always tell students it’s not that we’re so wise, we’re just older, so have experienced more of life!  In my case, bad choices and decisions in my past allow me to speak personally about the pain of a marriage where your husband is not seeking Christ.   

I was reading something this evening after dinner (yep, food yet again!) referring to Titus 2, where Paul says that older women have a role in teaching younger women how to love their husbands and children, urging them to live self-controlled, pure lives. 

As I re-read those verses, it suddenly hit me.  Hey, Paul is talking about me.  When did that happen?!  When did I move from being one of the young ones, to being an ‘older woman’ who is called to live a ‘reverent life’ (Titus 2:3)? 

The other day some of our “Treces” group (thirteen year olds) were telling us that they are now 14.  “But, I don’t want to be!” said one.  “I loved being 13 and I just want to stay that age!”  Another said, “No! I can’t wait to be 18 so I can do whatever I want.”  Another chimed in, “No! I want to be 20, but not any older!”

It was tempting to tell them it was silly, because no matter how much you want to stay a certain age, you can’t.  And, at 14, you can’t wish yourself 4 years into the future! 

Instead, we tried to tell them that every age has good parts and bad parts.  That time goes by quickly, and before you realize it, years have zipped past.  So, it’s important to enjoy each day, each year, as a gift of God. 

Huh.  Maybe I need to listen to my own advice, eh? 

There are definitely good and bad things about being 45.  Time is going by quickly, and I cannot stop it from passing. 

But, because I am this age, and not 20 years younger, I have the blessing and privilege and responsibility to share what God has taught me with others, particularly young women.  I pray His strength to live a reverent life which reflects my hope and joy in Him – thin, grey hair, and creaking body and all!