The Privilege of Parenting
Article 7
By Mark R. Worden
Having now briefly covered the role of the child who is being parented, and the role of the father, it is time to address the role of the mother. I have saved this for last because I feel the least qualified to write on the subject of being a mother. While I have been a child and I am a father—I can never be a mother. So I will not comment from my own experience, but from my observations of what the Bible has to say about a mother’s role in the home. I will let the scripture speak for itself, share a few word studies that will help us understand the passages, and let you ladies make the applications for yourselves.
The Mother’s Role in parenting is to be what the Lord would have her to be in the home. From 2 passages in the new testament we find 11 characteristics that younger woman are exhorted to have in their lives.
Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that [they be] in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
1. Sober – restore one to his senses; to moderate, control, curb,
disciple; to hold one to his duty; to admonish, to exhort earnestly
2. Love their husband
3. Love their children
4. Discreet – * of a sound mind, sane, in one’s senses
* curbing one’s desires and impulses, self controlled, temperate
5. Chaste * exciting reverence, venerable, sacred
* pure from carnality, chaste, modest, immaculate, clean
6. Keepers at home – From a greek compound word –“House” and “ware” (a guard)
* caring for the house, working at home
* the (watch or) keeper of the house
* keeping at home and taking care of household affairs,
a domestic
(The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is a scriptural example.)
7. Good – * of good constitution or nature * useful, salutary
8. Obedient to their own husbands
Obedient: to arrange under, to subordinate; to subject, put in subjection; to subject one’s self, obey; to submit to one’s control; to yield to one’s admonition or advice; to obey, besubject.
A Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.
1 Tim 5:14, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.”
9. Bear children – cf. 1 Timothy 2:15
10. Guide the house
* To be master (or head) of a house; to rule a household,
Manage family affairs
11. Give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully-
May the Lord grant the ladies of our churchs wisdom as they seek to be all that God would have them to be in their homes.
Magnify! 