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Day 2: A Revival of Reverence

Women who by God’s grace have cultivated the fruit of the Spirit in their lives are to come alongside other women who need help developing self-control, kindness, and well-ordered priorities.

We are older women training younger women in what is good. We are younger women desiring to grow in grace and truth, becoming dignified, self-controlled, and steadfast in the faith. Aren’t we?

The ideals contained in verses 3–5 of Titus 2—reverence, love, purity, kindness, and all the rest—are qualities we hope to see cultivated in our lives as God’s Spirit works through our surrendered hearts. But they also form a practical discipleship plan for those we’re teaching and training in our woman-to-woman, heart-to-heart relationships.

Let’s Begin with reverence—the fountainhead from which springs the other graces to which we are called and to which we aspire.

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,” Paul wrote. What does that mean? And what difference should it make in our daily lives?

The Greek word translated “reverent” in this passage is a compound word that combines the idea of being sacred, holy, or consecrated to God with that of behaving in ways that are fitting, right, or appropriate. Its root meaning has to do with being “priest-like.”[1]

That’s supposed to be us! A reverent woman understands that she has been set apart by God for sacred service, and she acts like it.

The interruptions, irritations, and interminable tasks that occupy so much of our time and attention don’t feel holy—until we recalibrate our focus and remind ourselves that we are in the presence of a holy God. Wherever we are at this moment is a sacred place, and whatever He has given us to do is sacred service. We become the women we truly want to be by practicing reverence.

I’m not talking about losing ourselves in prayer and Bible reading every waking minute. That’s not the definition of a reverent lifestyle. I just mean staying aware of God, realizing He’s here, devoting our worship and attention to Him until we begin to adjust our thinking, planning, scheduling, and lifestyle to match this glorious, eternal reality.

Reverent in a way that adorns our lives and the doctrine of Christ. Reverent all the time—not just because God’s cameras are rolling, but because He is worthy of our wholehearted devotion and obedience. And because He has made pleasing Him the most pleasurable life on earth.

[1] William Barclay, The New Daily Study Bible: The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, 3rd ed., rev. (Louisville: Westminister John Knox, 2003, orig. pub. 1956), 279.