What Do Our Kids Really Need Today?

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2 As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. 2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. 3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. 6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. 7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. 8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:1-8

A lot of people today are concerned about the world our kids are growing up in. Whether it is the material they are exposed to on the internet every day, or what is being taught in our public schools, we wonder what this next generation will look like in 20 or 30 years. 

But like every difficult question we are facing in the world today, the bible gives us insight on how to deal with the difficult issues in life. There is not much new under the sun, and the world has always been controlled by the evil one, so we shouldn't be too suprised by what is happening in our world right now. 

Titus and his fellow believers in his church were facing the same type of pressure to conform to their world as we do today.  Paul gives Titus these instructions as to how he should live and act in order to be an example to his flock. The key ingredient is sound teaching backed up by life that is in alignment with it. One could be a great teacher and a bad example of a Christ follower.  

Importantly, Paul focuses on the role older men and women play in the faith lives of the younger men and women. Both of them should exercise self control, patience, and love and live wisely. In Paul's culture the men usually worked outside the home, and the women managed what happened inside the home, including the disciplining of the children. Paul tells women to submit to their husbands, which has caused people to say Paul supported men who dominated or control their wives. 

"Biblical submission is not something that devalues or dehumanises women, nor regards them as an inferior or second-class citizens, as is so often taught." (knowingJesus.com)

Other passages in the bible talk about mutual submission. I.e. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ!" Ephesians 5:21

In another passage Paul actually puts more weight on the man when he says, "Husbands lay down your lives for your wives, just as Christ loved the church and laid down his lfie for her." Ephesians 5:25

So clearly the example of a woman submitting to her husband is showing the younger women how to respect them, just as younger men needed to be taught. 

The bottom line is that God's intention for the church is that the older men and women disciple the younger men and women by teaching them and then being an example of what they are teaching. It doesn't mean their lives were perfect (nor are ours), but it underscores you can't lead someone to a place you are unwilling to go to.  

If we really are upset about the effect the world is having on our young men and women, then we should take Paul's words to Timothy very seriously. Our young men and women are crying out for us to mentor them and show them why following Christ is the only way to live. The only question is are we willing to to do it.  

Are you building into the faith life or someone younger? Is your life something that someone else would want? Pray that God would bring a young person into your life that you could mentor, if you don't already have one. We don't have to try and be a better Christian. All we have to do is submit to Christ in our lives, and he will do his transforming work in us thorugh the power of the Holy Spirit!