For the Work of Ministry, 2

Paul commanded Titus regarding his work and that of his congregation:  "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.  Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.  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, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." (Titus 2:1-5).
Older men "are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness," and so are older women.  Older men are not given a mandate to teach younger men here in the same detail as older women are to teach younger women, though in verse 6, Titus is commanded to teach the younger men to be self-controlled.
What is to characterize older women?  Paul mentions reverent behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to much wine.
What curriculum are they to teach younger women?  They are to teach what is good, which has these components:  "and so train them to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands" (v.v. 4-5).
Why is this important?  Verse 5 tells us:  "that the word of God may not be reviled."  How many of us women think of our lives as having that significance?
Do you feel unequal to this work of ministry as an older woman?  Let me remind you of this promise of God:  "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you have become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire" (2 Peter 1:3-4).