Today let's take a few moments to think about Eve. I don't think any of us think of her as a grossly immoral woman. We don't know how long she lived before her conversation with Satan. At the beginning of that conversation she showed godliness. She knew God's command about what should or shouldn't be eaten in the garden and faithfully repeated it to Satan when he twisted it. But what happened next is a common mistake that women make - she let herself be deceived.
13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. (I Timothy 2)
She lost her godliness - respect toward God - and gave it to the serpent instead. As women, one of the things we really hate is looking dumb. Satan worded his temptation so that she looked dumb for believing God's promise.
When we sin like Eve sinned, we don't take the time to analyze what we are actually doing. We are actually stating that God is a liar - or at the very least can't be trusted. When God has told us we are to live and think a certain way and we know it because we have added knowledge to our faith, we must add godliness and respect His word. We obey even when we don't see how it can possibly work out for us because we know we can trust Him. I can understand why God was so angry with Eve. Adam, it seems, was not deceived. He just did it because he wanted to for some reason. Eve actually believed God had lied. She trusted Satan more than God.
What has God said about your role in your life situation? Are you married, single, widowed, unmarried? Do you have children or grandchildren? How do you show godliness in your situation?
I am a married woman with grown children. According to Titus 2 that makes me an "older woman." Here is what Paul told Titus about women in my situation:
3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
I admit I find this a bit challenging. I don't particularly enjoy admonishing so it's easy for me to convince myself it's not the right time, or they don't want my advice, or maybe I should study a bit more before I say anything, or maybe I should get that beam out of my own eye... You see how it goes. But if I am to be godly, I must respect what God says and admonish anyway. Of course I need to apply other principles about how I should talk in my admonishment because that also is showing respect to God. This blog is one way I try to show godliness. I still have a lot of growing to do in this area.
Today's assignment:
Find at least one passage that tells what you should be doing in your situation. It can be a command or an example. How will you apply this to your life?
2 comments:
I am currently a stay-at-home, homeschool mom so I'm not only responsible for my childrens' secular education but even more importantly their spiritual one.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
I am a wife and mother and I think, depending on the situation, I could be an older woman or a younger woman -- I'm probably in that category where I still need the advice of older women, but where younger women are sometimes looking to me for answers or support.
Since I'd RATHER be considered youthful, but also know my example is important either way, here's my verse:
1 Timothy 4:12
"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
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