What's a Girl to Be?

 By Ana Renee

As we grow up, we begin to see the opportunities of life unfold. Some of our dreams wander to college, working in an office, teaching an instrument, teaching children, babysitting, writing, starting a home business, working in a restaurant, and the list goes on. God’s plan for each girl is different and is manifested in many ways. However, I believe that the Bible clearly shows us the route that each girl should take spiritually to become the woman God wants us to become.

Photography by Amanda T.

Titus 2:3-5

“The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the younger 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.”

Let us take a look at what we are supposed to learn:

     1. Sober

               Sober means “to make of sound mind” (Strong’s Definition) This is the only time that this particular word of “sober” is used in the New Testament.

               Are we sober? Do we have a “sound mind?”

     2. Love their Husbands

               “Fond of man, affectionate as a wife”

               Instead of asking “How can we apply this verse, if we are unmarried?” ask, “How can we apply ourselves to learning this for when the time comes?”

               Are we loving our husband when we dedicate our time to any young man that crosses our path? Are we loving our husband when we spend our unmarried years without preparing?

               A few applicable things we can do while unmarried: stay pure for our husbands, save our heart and first kiss for our husband, teach our tongue not to gossip, learn to serve others, and pray for our husband (even though we may not know him!).

     3. Love their children

               “Fond of children, maternal”

               How maternal is it to constantly push aside “nagging” little brothers, sisters, cousins, or friends? Is this helping or hindering our attitude towards our children?

               I have seen many examples of young women with their children who see them as a bothersome package instead of a blessing. Begin now to bond with the children that you know, loving them, and serving them. Begin now to learn how to raise children – whether it is changing a diaper or bandaging up a “boo-boo.”

     4. Discreet

                “Safe, sound in mind, self-controlled (moderate as to opinion or passion)”

               Are my opinions quickly formed, or do I form them based on sound, Biblical doctrine? Do I have complete control over my tongue, or do I sometimes talk and offend?

     5. Chaste

                “Properly, clean, innocent, modest, perfect.”

               Are my actions and attitudes in check? Do I act towards young men in a proper, clean, innocent, modest, and perfect way? Do I act towards my family in a proper, clean, innocent, modest, and perfect way? Are my thoughts proper, clean, innocent, modest, and perfect?

     6. Keepers at Home

                “A stayer at home, domestically inclined (a “good housekeeper”)”

               Am I content with staying at home? Do I know how to keep house? To cook, clean, mend, etc.? Am I diligent with the tasks set before me? Can I be trusted to keep a house in order?

     7. Good

                “Good”

               Do I constantly fight with others? Do I gossip? Do I enjoy things that are not pleasing to the Lord? Am I content with being ‘good’?

8. Obedient to their own husbands

               Obedient – “reflexively, subordinate, obey”

                (Note: reflexively means automatic, immediate, and involuntarily)

               Their Own – “private, separate, one’s own”

               Husbands – “A man, husband”

               Once again, being unmarried, we should not neglect the practice of this phrase. Until God places a husband to be our leader, our focus to please should be given to our father. Do we immediately obey the wishes of our father? Does he have to ask us to do something? And when he does, do we reply with an “I don’t want to” attitude? Do we submit to his authority, or do we buck his authority? Remember: the way we treat our father (and brothers!) will eventually funnel down to how we will treat our husband.

Other passages a young lady can look at as she begins this journey of preparing her heart for service to the Lord and men are Proverbs 31:10-31 and 1 Peter 3:1-6.