Titus 2:1-5: a reflection

1But say the things which fit sound doctrine, 2that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance, 3and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good, 4that they may train the young wives to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed.

Paul instructs Titus about how the different groups in the church are to live, and he gives a role to the older believers in relation to the younger. Older men are to be sound in faith, love, and perseverance; older women likewise are to be reverent, and to be teachers of what is good, training the younger women in godly living. The older generation is to model godly character and to teach and train those coming behind them.

Notice the intergenerational pattern here: the older teaching and training the younger. The older believers are not merely to grow old; they are to grow in godly character, and out of that maturity, to teach and train the younger by example and instruction. The faith is passed on, in part, as those further along the way help those coming behind, sharing what they have learned, modeling what they have become. Each generation is to invest in the next.

That gives a purpose to growing older in the faith, and a responsibility to the younger. If we are older in the faith, we are not to keep our maturity to ourselves, but to invest it in those coming behind, teaching and training the younger by our example and our words. And whatever our age, we are to grow in character worth passing on. If you are further along in the faith, look for the younger believers you might teach, train, and encourage, investing your maturity in them, as Paul directs the older to train the younger. And whatever your age, grow in the godly character that is worth passing on to those who come after. Faith is handed on as each generation invests in the next; play your part, teaching and modeling for those behind you.

Lord, Paul instructs the older believers to be sound in character and to teach and train the younger in godly living; the older generation is to model godly character and invest it in those coming behind. Show me the purpose in growing older in the faith, and my responsibility to the younger. If I am older in the faith, I am not to keep my maturity to myself, but to invest it in those coming behind, teaching and training the younger by my example and my words. And whatever my age, I am to grow in character worth passing on. If I am further along in the faith, help me look for the younger believers I might teach, train, and encourage, investing my maturity in them. And whatever my age, help me grow in the godly character that is worth passing on to those who come after. Faith is handed on as each generation invests in the next; help me play my part, teaching and modeling for those behind me. Make my life worth imitating, Lord.