We have been blessed in the Wise Woman study this summer to have a number of young, unmarried women with us. One of them said: "I wasn't sure this was the study for me - what does this teaching on women building their homes have to do with a grad student (college student, single working woman) living in an apartment by herself or with a room-mate?
The reality is that all of us in the body of Christ are in the business of building God's household: the kingdom of God is among us, God's kingly rule presides over the household of the universal church, all believers of all times; the household of the local church, in our case Four Oaks; the household of the family unit; and the household of the individual believer. We have responsibilities within each of these spheres as we order our lives under our King. The apostle Paul's letter to Pastor Titus teaches us about this order and the particular order the women bring as pillars, strong beautiful pillars supporting and building the household.
We're learning the importance of the woman as priest within this household. The elder women have the responsibility for teaching and training the younger women to think and behave wisely based on the good things of God. The younger women have the responsibility for being willing to learn from women they know well with all their flaws and shortcomings - but who are desiring to obey this command from the Father of every household on earth and in heaven.
We've learned that we are in school together whatever our situation in life. We are encouraged to know the "grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live sober, upright and godly lives in this world awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds."
One of our single women with no children yet of her own, Lauren Curtis, shared the following:
Last week, one of my kids, we'll call her Kate for the sake of HIPPA laws, revealed to me a very tangible perspective on our need for Christ and the beauty of the Gospel. Kate is 3 years old and suffers from various health issues; she is legally blind as well as unable to walk or crawl, barely able to sit up on her own. One aftenoon last week, Kate was laying belly down, playing on the rug, completely content playing with some toys. A few minutes later, we turned around to see that Kate had had what we call a "blow out" and was completely covered in poop. Not only was she covered in her own poop, but she was playing in it face first. It was everywhere....and it was disgusting. I left the room disgusted at the thought, but later was very much blessed by this experience. This is a child that I pray for the Lord to help me love, she is very difficult in more ways than one. As I was praying about her the next morning, the Lord reminded me of Dueteronomy 32:10 which says "He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye." As I read this, I was first so convicted that I have not loved this little girl with the love that has been shown to me. Honestly, I looked at her in her poop and was just frustrated and comletely grossed out. Then I was so amazed at the truth that I, just like her, once played in poop, enjoying it for the satisfaction that I thought it would bring. I played in my own mess, completely blinded to the fact that it was poop and nothing about it was good. And in that mess, completely covered, head to toe, my Father found me, encircled me, cared for me and has kept me as the apple of his eye. He has loved me from before day one. Day in and day out, I am among the children of the world who are deemed unlovely and unworthy. Like Christ, people look at them and do not see beauty that makes them desirable. They have been rejected by men and are acquainted with daily sorrow and grief. But day in and day out, I see Christ in them. I look at them and am reminded that I am just like them. Though I see, though I walk, though I am not as smelly or dirty, I am no different. I need Christ just as much as they do. Isaiah 53:6 says "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Abba Father, please give us eyes to see the beauty, love, and grace of the Gospel in the most mundane and routine moments of our day; changing diapers, feeding families, taking out the trash, putting children to sleep. Please help us to take time to sit with You, speak with You and enjoy You. Jesus, thank you for seeing us for who we are, the muck and all, and loving us in that - teach and help us love others with that same love. Thank you for the ways in which You teach us of Yourself - help us not be so busy that we miss it. Still our crazy minds and hearts, Lord. Give us hearts that desire You first and foremost. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14).
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Workers of the Home
This is from Ashley Baker's study:
The priestess guards her household through fear of the Lord and fruit of her hands. She tends hard to the things she has been given by the good works of her hands. She loves her husband and children, so that she may be praised and blessed. She teaches and encourages young women to do the same. She is focused on the coming age and not enslaved to the ways of this world. She is a keeper and protector of her household. Kindness is on her lips and wisdom in her good teachings. She represents strength and submission, sensibility and provision, and purity in words and action. Not entrenched in the malicious gossip of others. Her heart is fixed on her household so that the Kingdom of God may be furthered and those around her may be blessed by the fruit of her good works. She represents who we are to be, made perfectly in the image of God, glorifying him in every way. She shows others who she is in the eye of her Lord and Savior, far more precious than jewels.
The priestess guards her household through fear of the Lord and fruit of her hands. She tends hard to the things she has been given by the good works of her hands. She loves her husband and children, so that she may be praised and blessed. She teaches and encourages young women to do the same. She is focused on the coming age and not enslaved to the ways of this world. She is a keeper and protector of her household. Kindness is on her lips and wisdom in her good teachings. She represents strength and submission, sensibility and provision, and purity in words and action. Not entrenched in the malicious gossip of others. Her heart is fixed on her household so that the Kingdom of God may be furthered and those around her may be blessed by the fruit of her good works. She represents who we are to be, made perfectly in the image of God, glorifying him in every way. She shows others who she is in the eye of her Lord and Savior, far more precious than jewels.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Workers of the Home
We're working through "The Wise Woman Builds Her House" again this summer. What a joy to study with these women of Four Oaks. As we study Paul's very deliberate commands to the women in the local church in Titus 2:3-5, we've zeroed in on the call for the older women (whose behavior is that of a priest in the home) to train the women in good sound doctrine and sound biblical thinking. The women are to be "workers of the home". The women were asked to carefully compare Proverbs 31 with Titus 2:3-5 and write a paragraph or two describing this "priestess in God's house", using both passages (Proverbs and Titus), as well as the things learned during the study that have shaped our thinking about our calling to the home.
As usual, the responses were terrific. I asked the women to email their paragraphs to me so I could post them here.
Tamzen Baker sent the first offering:
"The “worker” is deliberate, purposeful and mindful in her undertaking. She does not simply make sure things get done, family is fed, children are to bed. She is gracious in the way she acts, kindness and grace flow from her. She is thoughtful in her actions. She does well in the deeds, but is not too concerned with the outcome to not consider and serve the greater things (like Martha and Mary.) She does not trivialize her work, her family, her standing. It is her faithful action with an air of grace and dignity that forms her character and her reputation. These things reflect on her husband who is honored because of her, and they bless her household, causing her children to rise up and bless her. She is not a woman of extremes or run by fears, she guards, she protects, she is steady, she is sensible. She honors the word of God in her moral deeds as well as her diligent deeds. I don’t believe the woman of God, the worker at home, the proverbs 31 woman is a perfectionist causing stress and strife over things not done as well as the next magazine mom, but she does well to the ways of her household, she makes things special, she cares for the bodies and souls of those who are entrusted to her and trusts the One who has given her part in that stewardship."
I'll post more as I receive them!
As usual, the responses were terrific. I asked the women to email their paragraphs to me so I could post them here.
Tamzen Baker sent the first offering:
"The “worker” is deliberate, purposeful and mindful in her undertaking. She does not simply make sure things get done, family is fed, children are to bed. She is gracious in the way she acts, kindness and grace flow from her. She is thoughtful in her actions. She does well in the deeds, but is not too concerned with the outcome to not consider and serve the greater things (like Martha and Mary.) She does not trivialize her work, her family, her standing. It is her faithful action with an air of grace and dignity that forms her character and her reputation. These things reflect on her husband who is honored because of her, and they bless her household, causing her children to rise up and bless her. She is not a woman of extremes or run by fears, she guards, she protects, she is steady, she is sensible. She honors the word of God in her moral deeds as well as her diligent deeds. I don’t believe the woman of God, the worker at home, the proverbs 31 woman is a perfectionist causing stress and strife over things not done as well as the next magazine mom, but she does well to the ways of her household, she makes things special, she cares for the bodies and souls of those who are entrusted to her and trusts the One who has given her part in that stewardship."
I'll post more as I receive them!
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