Titus 2:5
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
This is part 2 of the Titus series for woman. (If you have not read part 1, please do so as it is a good foundation for the rest of the series.)
Being discreet & chaste is not something we hear much about today, or see many examples of. We are surrounded by a culture that idolises youth, beauty, status, popularity, money, materialism, sensuality, self-confidence and independence, just to name a few! Social media has had a heavy influence on how women see themselves and the media has done a very good job at teaching both men and women what is considered successful. (At least in ‘their’eyes). This has created a lot of pressure especially for woman to live up to the ideal woman that in reality if we would follow the world’s ideals, is very unattainable and very unhealthy to our souls. Even in the Church we may struggle to see a living example of biblical women as we as Christians seem to have enmeshed and become at one with the world and its ways, thus ignoring the instructions from Romans 12:2, ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
As well as James 1:27, ‘pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’
See,1 John 17:16,
1 John 2:15-17Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
There are many verses that warn us against following the world. These are just a few. The reason I am pointing this out is that when we start to try to understand and follow scripture such as being discreet and chaste, modest etc, we tend to evaluate things based on what we have been taught from our environment, upbringing and other external influences. (the world around us). But as Christian woman, we need to take to heart what the Lord says in His word as to what He values and wants from us. We need to find out what is precious in His sight and forfeit all that is not of Him.
It can be shocking to realise how far away from truth we may actually be because we may compare ourselves to others around us and think that we are fine until God shows us the truth.
So going back to discreet and Chaste. If this is what a Godly woman is to be, then what do these words actually mean? Strongs definition of discreet is, of sound mind, self-controlled, temperate, sober-minded, modest, chaste. The strongs definition of chaste is, pure, innocent, modest, clean, pure from carnality.
In light of this, how do we as woman compare? Are we of sound mind or are we full of anxiety? Are we self-controlled or are we out of control, acting out in public and at home, are we modest in both behaviour and conduct as well as appearance? Are we pure in thought and speech or are we speaking filth? Here are some scriptures to meditate on as we seek God’s heart on the matter.
Proverbs 31:30, ‘Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised’.
1 peter 3:3-4 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4.But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
These scriptures reveal what is truly supposed to be admired in a Godly woman. The world is full of aesthetically beautiful woman but what is highly prized in God’s eyes is that incorruptible beauty of a meek and quiet spirit. A woman of a good and noble character that cannot be bought. I pray that we would seek to become women of God not women of the world. Women that represent the eternal King who glorify and honor him and in doing so greatly bless those around us, especially our husband’s and children.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31:28