As for you....

Paul starts off Titus 2 telling Titus what he needs to focus on as he leads the Cretan churches.

1But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Teach sound doctrine. This applies to all as Paul states it before he goes into what to teach the various ages of men and women.

Older men are to be:

• sober-minded
• dignified
• self-controlled
• sound in faith
• sound in love
• sound in steadfastness

Older women

• reverent in behaviour
• not slanderers,
  
• not slaves to much wine
• teach what is good
• and so train young women to .....
  

Young Women are to be trained to

• to love their husbands and children,
  
• to be self-controlled,
  
• pure,
  
• working at home,
  
• kind and submissive to their own husbands, so that God's word is not reviled.

Younger men:

• self-controlled

Titus is to

• show himself to be model of good works
• his teaching is to show integrity, dignity, 8and sound speech that cannot be condemned
• So that our opponents have nothing evil to say about us and therefore are put to shame
  

Slaves are to

• be submissive to their masters
• well-pleasing
• not argumentative
• not pilfering
• showing all good faith
• SO THAT in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour

Wow...what a weighty section isn't it.

Do you see how over and over again...if we act in a certain way we are showing who God is in a better light? That we are not giving ammunition to the enemy?

Have to admit that the older women train younger women to love their hubbies and children just kinda sat with me.
It's HARD work being married. To consider the needs of others and not just yourself. It's nice to have role models on how to do so well.
I think of how easy it is for folks to get divorced...and then I read this passage and it's like... you know what? If more women took the time to teach other women how to just love their hubbies, not so much divorce would happen.

But I can't sit here and ponder this longer I must get moving....but LOTS of food for thought here. I will probably continue this when I return.