“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  (4)  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,  (5)  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)

In part one of this series, the general rule that governs the rearing of children by the parents was set forth in the physical and spiritual realms using Eph. 6:1-4 for the father’s responsibility, and Titus 2:4-5 for the mother’s responsibility. The primary focus for this third devotion in this series is more specific on the mother’s role.

Is God plain as to the duty of the mother concerning the training of the children? Yes, the Word of God is plain concerning the mother’s role in forming the success of the children in the home, and in the children’s life after they leave the nest. However, in today’s society the following seems to be a fairy tale and not the Word of God.

When the husbands of many homes made the decision that there should be two bread winners in the home; then the husbands left the opportunity for his wife to be blessed in her position; and has cost the children now, and in their future, by removing the mother from the home for various and sundry reasons – all of which cannot be defended in the Word of God, but just the opposite.

The Question is: How do we have a Samuel for a child? The Answer is: Follow God’s instruction.

The First Step in God’s instruction is the mother is included in Eph. 6:1-2:

(Eph. 6:1) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” The children are to obey not only the father; but also the mother, “parents”

(Eph. 6:2) “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)” Here the children are to “honour,” or give respect to, both father and mother.

The reason for this is found in typology: for the father represents the Head, Christ; and the mother types out the Body of Christ, the Church ( 5:31-32). The father and mother form one unit in marriage; “one flesh”; this shows unity. There is to be no division, or schism, in the body.

Therefore, the children are never to see a division between their parents. This keeps the children from getting sympathy from the mother when it doesn’t go their way. The children must see solidarity in their parents.

The Second Step in God’s instruction for the mother is found in Titus 2:4-5:

(Titus 2:4) “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,” The mother is responsible to teach female children to be wise-minded, or sound-minded; to love their husbands when they do get married; to love their children (that is to always be an example in word and deed herself of what she teaches them).

The next verse reveals the How, and the Where, she is to teach her children:

(Titus 2:5) “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

The How: she is to be “discreet” (which means “to be self-controlled”); “chaste” (which means properly clean, that is, (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect: – chaste, clean, pure); “good” (that is to be “virtuous,” morally pure); “obedient” (to subordinate; reflexively to obey: be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self-unto). This is only in position; it has nothing to do with importance. (See 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-33.)

The Where: “keepers at home”; “a stayer at home”; that is, domestically inclined (a “good housekeeper”) – “keepers at home.” Please read Proverbs 31:10-31 to see how God describes a Godly mother and wife. The stay-home wife and mom are in the correct place to carry out her God-ordained role as a wife and mother.

Summary: All of these definitions are from the Strong’s Concordance. These verses in Titus 2 reveal the mother is to be: a stay-home mom, a teacher in the home, obedient to her husband; and she is to be an example of a pure and holy wife unto her husband; and she does all these things “that the Word of God be not blasphemed.” The How and the Where the mother is to perform her responsibility is as important in the development of the female children as the tasks of the father. The behavior of the mother is also a testimony to the male children what to look for in choosing a wife in the future.

The Third Step in God’s instruction for the mother is in the example of Hannah, Samuel’s mother. (Read 1 Sam. 1:1-28; 2:1-10.) Time and space prohibit to exegesis these verses. However, Hannah was a woman of order as a wife; a woman of prayer, of determination; a lover of God; and a woman of her word. God blessed Hannah with a son, Samuel. Samuel was a great man of God all his life. (Read 1 Sam. 3-25 for Samuel’s history of serving God.)

The Conclusion is this: It is God’s way or no way. The road to success for the family, and the children, depends upon the father and the mother first obeying God’s instruction in their respective position in the family. Also, the children must obey their parents; for this is “the first commandment with promise.” All Christian parents are works-in-progress.

It would be wonderful if young parents could know what they will know after many years of growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior. But the stark reality of it all is – we all have made, and will make again, mistakes that we all wish we could do over, and do God’s way. However, this does not excuse the Christian parent in not obeying the instruction of God, no matter the age of the parent or lack of knowledge of God’s Word. The Christian parents cannot plead age, or ignorance of God’s Word; but can only confess their sins and faults and failures to God Almighty for mercy, and not wallow in their mistakes; but vow to obey God. These three devotions are primarily aimed at young parents that have time to take heed and reject the world’s philosophy in rearing children; and submit and obey and endure in the instructions of God, found in His Written Word, in how to have success in the family, and in the children now, and in the future.

The warning is this:

(Gal 6:7-8) “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  (8)  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

The answer to the question, “How do you have a Samuel?” is very simple: follow Christ and His instructions, and you will have a God-fearing family and children that will “keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment.”