I was thinking this morning of the beautiful relationships women have with one another and the witness of a Godly woman.
"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children," - Titus 2:3-4 ESV
Men can very easily trample over a woman's sensibilities. How many women have been grievously hurt by men in their life either because of their oafishness or their brutality? It may be that a woman has little capacity to hear anything from a man because of that but a Godly woman knows and communicates in layered ways that minister so beautifully.
"Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct." - 1 Peter 3:1-2 ESV
The word translated 'subject' here is Hypotasso (Strong's G5293) and it speaks of yielding or coming under. If a man can be shelter for his wife it is truly a valuable service to her.
A man is won over by the complex beauty of his wife's way of life but in truth this dynamic doesn't won't when roles are reversed. Women are not won over by Godly men being Godly... they are hurt when men are un-Godly because it leaves them exposed in some way.
"Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." - 1 Timothy 5:1-2 ESV
Communication tailored by grace is so key to our relationships isn't it?
As a man I want to speak the truth in love and continue to grow in my capacity to do that. I also want to provide a good covering so that there is another place of shelter for people to find in this world.
Every age has needed Godly men and women... and this time we live in now is no different.
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