Lesson #4

Train the Young Women to be Sensible (Titus 2:4-5)

by Ethel Pierce & Lorane Simpson

"Train the young women to love their husbands, and children, to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the Word of God may not be discredited" (Titus 2:4-5).

This lesson deals with the topic of being sensible. Different versions translate this word as sober, sound mind, sensible, discreet, temperate, and mistresses of themselves (compare I Peter 5:8 and I Thessalonians 5:6). The dictionary gives several synonyms for each of these words. We had a page full by the time we had written them all down. Boiled down, the substance seemed to be that sensible means: to be tactful and considerate; having good judgment in your own life as well as in dealing with others; to be prudent, cautious, wary; to use practical wisdom; to watch in all directions as against danger or error; temperate or calm, self-restrained, careful not to say or do the wrong thing; and to have supreme control of yourself. Quite a definition of the word sensible, but when God's Word commands it, we must strive to be the kind of woman God wants us to be, "... that the Word of God may not be discredited."

Knowing that God's Word is inspired, we can study examples of Bible women who were sensible in their circumstances, copy the wisdom they used, and apply it in our own lives (James 1:5). The principles are the same throughout history.

Using Good Judgment in Our Lives

One ideal example in the Bible is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She became pregnant before marriage. To a pure, religiously minded girl, this might have been a terrific blow, but she believed God and accepted his word that "... the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). All this came to pass as was foretold and at his birth it is said, "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).

From his words, she knew she was the mother of a king, but she did not push herself to live in a palace. We believe she carried water in a jug on her shoulder, ground flour between stones, spun and wove cloth to make clothes for her family, and did all the humble tasks like all other women of her time.

She must have seen her son approaching a Roman cross, but she stood at its foot. Surely, one of those statements she treasured in her heart was fulfilled when she felt the sword pierce her soul (Luke 2:35).

Our last glimpse of Mary is recorded in Acts 1:14 when she prayed in the upper room with the apostles, other women, and her other sons. Mary may not have fully grasped what it meant to be the mother of the Messiah, the promised seed of Abraham through whom all nations of the earth would be blessed. Whatever her understanding, it was that she fulfilled every shade of the meaning of the word sensible. She was an ordinary woman like we are. We follow her example by accepting what we do not fully understand if it is God's Word.

There is no doubt that Mary knew God's Word, as in Proverbs 31:25, "Strength and honor (dignity) are her clothing," or in Proverbs 24:3, ''By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established." Also, in Psalms 101:2, "I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way ... I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." The Revised Standard Version says, "I will walk with integrity of heart within my house." Mary had honor, dignity, and integrity - she was sensible.

Being Sensible in Teaching Our Children

In the Old Testament, we read of many kings of both Judah and Israel in the Divided Kingdom. Over and over, we find such a passage as this: ''... was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was ... And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord..." (II Chronicles 25:1-2). In the account of evil kings, the mother was not usually given unless she was notoriously wicked. Indeed, the good mother had taught so well that her name was recorded as the mother of a king who "did right in the eyes of the Lord." What greater reward can a mother receive than training a son to do right?

Let us look at Timothy's life. The home situation could compare very well with homes today, where the mother has become a Christian, but her husband has not. She wants her children to grow up in the church. She can look at the story of Acts 16:1-3. Timothy was a very young Christian with a Christian mother, Eunice (II Timothy 1:5). She was a Jewess, but his father was a Greek. She and her mother Lois had taught him the Scriptures from his childhood in the light of the Jewish faith. Whether or not the father was dead, at least he had not contributed to his religious upbringing. If a mother does not have the help of her husband, she must assume the responsibility of teaching her children. This is not easy, but she can and must do the job. She can plan special times besides the regular Bible classes at church to teach her children God's Word and ways. Even if her husband is opposed, she can find discreet times to train her beloved children. Also, she can seek God's help through prayer and others, as Eunice received help from her mother, Lois. The congregation's elders and other men and women stand ready to help. While others may want to help, the mother must take the first step and make it known that she desires help. Such action shows that she is sensible.

The Sensible Woman with an Unbelieving Husband

The Christian wife's submission to her husband is covered in another lesson. The point is regarding her being sensible in her relationship with a husband who is not a Christian. I Corinthians 7:13 says, "If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.'' Adjusting her Christian life to his un-Christian life is a definite problem, but it must be solved, and she will have to solve it. When a woman becomes a Christian after marriage, she has made a change from the woman he married. It is a good change, but one he had not anticipated. (If she was a Christian when she married him, she created the problem by marrying out of the Lord, II Corinthians 6:14.) Either way, she must be sensible to the Nth degree.

A very fine example of a woman being married to an evil man is that of Abigail. (I Samuel 25:1-42) David had received evil in return for good. Under the law of that time, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," David was about to repay the evil with evil. Abigail responded with astonishing wisdom. Even David recognized it and said, "Blessed be your discretion... " In this story, we have qualities in Abigail: tact, good judgment, practical wisdom, supreme control of herself, calmness, restraint, and care not to say or do the wrong thing. Here was a woman practicing Titus 2:5 more than a thousand years before it was commanded.

Wisdom in Teaching Others

As for a woman showing great wisdom and discretion in helping to expound to a man the way of God more accurately, Priscilla wins the medal for that feat. (Acts 18:24- 26) Because her name nearly always precedes Aquila's in the New Testament accounts of their teamwork, we would conclude that she was the stronger force. However, she subjected that force in such a tactful way that she could still function to her capacity without making herself obnoxious. This is a very rare talent in a woman. In secular history (Tertullian), her work is acclaimed, "By the holy Prisca, the gospel is preached." Another source describes her as "One of the most influential women in the New Testament church'' and "a woman of studious and religious endowments, also one of practical ability." A woman who could combine great ability with zeal and then wrap it up with the quality of being sensible could go far in teaching others.

Serving Is Sensible

The word "servant" is not pleasant to our ears, but we must glorify its meaning in our daily lives. Jesus told us to serve one another and set an example of Himself. (John 13:5-14) Our customs are not the same as in the time of Jesus, such as walking long distances on hot, dusty roads and then needing to wash our feet for cleanliness and refreshment. Yet His example of doing the work of a servant teaches us that we must serve one another.

In the Moffatt translation of I Peter 5:5, we have this command: "Indeed you must put on the apron of humility to serve one another, for the haughty God opposes, but to the humble he gives grace." The word "apron" in this passage is figurative, but it is sensible for a woman to make it literal.

The New Testament woman Phoebe is called a servant of the church (Romans 16:1-2). The word "servant" comes from the same root as deacon, an office held by men (I Timothy 3:8-13; Philippians 1:1). In biblical times, it was more honorable to be a servant than to wear a title, and so should it be with us.

Paul briefly describes Phoebe as "Our sister ... a servant of the church..." (Romans 16:1 KJV) or "A helper of many and of myself as well" (Romans 16:1 RSV). These three words are praise for any woman's life.

There is one fact we must mention to show our gratitude to Phoebe. She made a trip of 600 miles (and possibly twice that as modes of travel of that day took her) from Cenchreae, Greece, to Rome, Italy. She carried our precious "Letter to the Romans" on this trip and safely delivered it. Wouldn't it be interesting to know her experiences on this trip? We cannot know them, but we do know that she was sensible in choosing to be a Christian, a servant of the church, and a helper of many Christians of that day and even of the great apostle Paul.

Our names probably will not go down in the pages of history as have those we have studied in this lesson; however, by being sensible as they were sensible, the blessings they enjoyed can be ours, both here and in the hereafter.

Questions

Give five different translations of the word sensible from Titus 2:5
Tell an example of a woman who taught her son without the help of her husband.
What woman received the blessing of "Blessed be your discretion"?
Who was possibly the most zealous, intelligent, sensible woman in the New Testament for leading others to Christ?
Give book, chapter, and verses of a biblical example of a "servant."
How does Peter use the word 'apron'? (Moffatt Translation)
What New Testament woman was called by Paul ''a servant of the church"?
Name four ways the woman in question number 7 was a servant.
What is the greatest source of help in the church when we don't know how to handle our problem?
I Corinthians 7:13 is a good scripture to memorize if one's husband is not a Christian. Write it here.