This podcast covers Lesson 10 of Adorn Yourself with Godliness Bible Study by Melanie Newton.

Godliness Is Transferable from Woman to Woman

The need for mentors

• Some women today were raised by mothers who loved and served Jesus. Others might have come from a household where Jesus was a curse word. Lack of godly role models leaves many women confused about living as a Christian. Old habits are hard to break.
• The biblical remedy is sound teaching that leads to devotion to God so that you desire to live a life that pleases Him. That will lead you to desire godly relationships with other believers who can demonstrate godliness in their lives as examples for you to follow.

What is God's plan?

• God gave to the older women the responsibility of discipling and counseling the younger women because they can do it better! Who else knows the mind and body of a woman better than another woman?
• An older woman is any woman who has more life experience or spiritual maturity than another woman.
• If you know Jesus Christ and expressed that love for Him through a life that is more godly than ungodly, then you are qualified because you have life experiences that are marketable skills in God’s economy and make you very valuable to His service.
• What is the responsibility of the older woman? She needs to adorn herself with godliness so she has something to offer another woman.

Being reverent in the way you live

• The Greek word used in Titus 2:3 refers to a priestess serving in the temple of her God. Out of your devotion to God flows your daily work for God in everything—loving your family, caring for your homes, anything you do outside of your home, and serving in your church community.
• What are some ways that this reverence for God is expressed? The descriptions given in Titus 2:3 are similar to 1 Timothy 3:11. A woman who is reverent in the way she lives is worthy of respect because she is devoted to God. That she is not to be a slanderer or addicted to much wine is the same as not being a malicious talker and being temperate.

Being able to teach what is good.

• What is good? Sound doctrine. Christian truth. What devotion to God looks like. How that devotion is expressed in godly behavior. “What is good” means right from wrong, truth about God and about what God desires.
• Life's experiences teach us, if we are listening, to stay faithful to Christ as we are going through even the hardest times. Older women who have done that have so much to offer younger women. It is the Lord who makes you able to mentor someone else. We must rely on Him even in this simple way of woman-to-woman relationships.
• God in His infinite wisdom knows a woman should never "retire" from being committed to the development of quality life in others. A woman must feel needed and appreciated. God designed us that way and gave us an avenue to fill that need.

Why would the younger women need what the older women can offer?

• Women are affected by loneliness in our transitional society, confusion about life skills and relationships, and just plain old busyness.
• The older women are “to urge” the younger women. The original Greek word means “to restore one to her senses.” So, the duty of older women is to help the younger women to be restored to their senses when they get overwhelmed.
• That same Greek word also means “to disciple.” Discipling is someone older in the Lord helping someone younger in the Lord understand and apply biblical truth to everyday life. Mentoring is the “how” of discipling. Younger women don’t just need to know some life skills, but they need to know how to develop that devotion to God for themselves. They need to see what godliness looks like in another woman. 1 Timothy 3:11
• Older women and younger women should all seek to adorn themselves with godliness. The woman who is older in the Lord and has learned how to do that can show any woman who is younger in the Lord what godliness looks like.

Where do you find each other?

If you are an older woman wanting to mentor:

• Ask the Lord to give you a desire and opportunity to mentor someone for Him. Make yourself available to younger women, especially those with no family close by. Then, pay attention and come alongside her.

If you are a younger woman wanting a mentor:

• Ask the Lord to lead you to someone who will want to invest in you. Interact with older women. Befriend them. Listen to them. Ask one to disciple you.

Discipling someone else will lead you to rely on Him more than on yourself. And, that’s always a good thing for anyone learning how to adorn herself with godliness.

 

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with such love for God that you will want to live a life that pleases Him.

 

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