The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. ~ Titus 2:3-5
Just what exactly does "that the word of God be not blasphemed" mean? I was reading Clarke's commentary on this passage this morning and had to share:
The enemies of the Gospel are quick-eyed to spy out imperfections in its professors; and, if they find women professing Christianity living an irregular life, they will not fail to decry the Christian doctrine on this account: “Behold your boasted religion! it professes to reform all things, and its very professors are no better than others! Our heathenism is as good as your Christianity.” These are cutting reproaches; and much they will have to answer for who give cause for these blasphemies.
We have to constantly examine ourselves and make sure we are not living inconsistent lives. This is even more so for we as women because this passage was pertaining to us! It is very easy to become lax in being a keeper at home and so busy outside of our homes that we actually do not even KEEP our home and thus we bring reproach to the gospel. We give others a reason to blaspheme God's word because we are busy going from house to house or doing other things rather than are calling as homekeepers.
I also wanted to share his commentary on "keeping the home":
A woman who spends much time in visiting, must neglect her family. The idleness, dirtiness, impudence, and profligacy of the children, will soon show how deeply criminal the mother was in rejecting the apostle’s advice. Instead of keepers of the house, or keepers at home, ..... and several of the Itala, have workers at home; not only staying in the house and keeping the house, but working in the house. A woman may keep the house very closely, and yet do little in it for the support or comfort of the family.
How can you "work at home" and neglect your duties to your family and think you are still a keeper at home? A lot of times we can look at women's children and see their neglect, they are very telling. If you are hardly ever home then HOW are you so different from the woman who works? You are just as much out of the home as she is. As far as running errands and going to homeschool events and the such, I don't spend my days being a gadabout and going from house to house instead of being at home. I don't want to give the scoffers a reason to bring reproach upon God. Why do other women do this when it is strictly forbidden in the scriptures?
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. ~ 1 Timothy 5:13
Usually, the woman that is a wanderer and rarely at home is busy with her tongue. She is not only a busybody to see what everyone else is doing but she is lazy. She doesn't better her skills at homemaking, she doesn't care about her children (much less their education), she doesn't give due benevolence to her husband and she scoffs at other women who are busy about their home. She is the type who comes on my blog and says I'm being a showoff because I want to better my homekeeping skills with learning how to make homemade goods, be with other like-minded women who want to become better and take an interest in our husbands and children. She is a bonafide busybody! She likes to keep up on social networks to see what everyone else is "up to" and seems to somehow always know everyone else's business! Women should marry, bear children and keep their homes so they can be BUSY and not learn idleness because idleness leads to being a busybody. Find yourself caught up in other's affairs? Have another child and keep yourself busy! If you can't have children, adopt many parent-less children in the world today. There is no excuse to be lazy, none, and it gives the enemies of the gospel a reason to blaspheme God's word.
Sadly, we lack much example of the aged woman today in our society and the young women are showing what harm that can do! The aged women are rather being busybodies, slanderers, false accusers and criticizing the young women instead of being a mentor and showing them how to be better! They berate instead of encourage and we need some real Godly aged women to stand up and teach us! They scoff at children as some kind of burden instead of teaching us to pray for our wombs to be blessed. They join others in tearing down their own husbands in gossip sessions instead of teaching us to love our husbands. We need help! The younger women cry out for mentors!
Let's all join together and encourage women everywhere to be consistent in our home lives so that we do not bring blasphemy or reproach to the gospel! Let's set our light on the hill shining brightly and help one another. If you see someone whose house is dirty, instead of putting her down - lend a helping hand! Maybe she is physically unable to clean for some reason. Currently, I have been dealing with an injured back for about 5 weeks and I can't bend and do things, but I did have a loving sister in the Lord offer a helping hand PRAISE GOD! Instead of putting down the women whose clothes are shabby, why not buy her a dress? Aged women, instead of calling us little devils or whatever other slander you may issue - how about teaching us what you know? Your experience shouldn't be used to shove your foot on others but rather to reach down a hand to help.
I hope to encourage, inspire and provoke women to return to full, busy lives of homekeeping through this blog. To stay away from satan's snares, time consumers and anything else that would take us away from our calling as homekeepers, wives and mothers. I'm not perfect but I'm striving to be better every day and that is what matters! Who cares what the naysayers spew out against us? It is because their own works are evil as was Cain's that they hate us so. They murder with their words but we can return their hate with love and pray for their souls! We can answer their bitter fires with forgiving hearts. Oh yes, we are the hands that rock the world! We can make a difference!
