True Woman - Intentional Training

Intentional Training

Finding a mentor sounds like a good idea, but where do you start? And how do you become a mentor? Here are some practical approaches to teaching and sharing your life.*

• As older women, we’re supposed to be modeling the beauty of a life that’s lived under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
• Mentoring takes place in the context of everyday life:
  • You’re there.
  • You’re with them.
  • You observe.
• You walk with them through life.
• You deal with issues as they arise.
• You look for teachable moments.
• You give friendship, counsel, encouragement, and exhortation.

Listen to or read more from “Intentional Training”

From Titus 2:1-5 we read:

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.

We are to teach each, to train each other.

I find that having a mentor is a great boon. Learning from others....what fun! (well, okay...not ALWAYS) :) And being a natural teacher at heart, teaching others what I know I find to be a total hoot. :) (well...okay... not ALWAYS). Teaching and learning can be hard things. But they are also things that we to be deliberate about doing.

Unlike Nancy I don't see this is something merely reserved for empty nest women, but for women of all ages. We can all teach those younger than us how to conduct ourselves as Christian women. Now, women without youngsters at home might find that a bit easier at times, but easier doesn't mean ONLY for them to do. We all have this responsibility.

The original word that is translated "train" -

It’s a verb. If you care about the Greek word, it’s sophronidzo. It’s the only place that this word is used in the New Testament.

That word, according to E-sword (Robertson's word pictures) means

That they may train (hina sōphronizōsin). Purpose clause, hina and present active subjunctive of sōphronizō, old verb (from sōphrōn, sound in mind, saos, phrēn, as in this verse), to make sane, to restore to one’s senses, to discipline, only here in N.T.

Vincent's word Studies (also from e-sword) puts it like so "Better, school or train. N.T.o. olxx. The verb means to make sane or sober-minded; to recall a person to his senses; hence, to moderate, chasten, discipline."

So our job is to help restore one's senses and discipline and bring some sanity. :)
It's like getting people to take a different perspective.

I look at my life. It is SO easy for me to put myself first. But I'm not to do that. As a believing woman I am to put God and others before myself. If I do that then I am : loving my husband and child, being self-controlled, pure, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, and able to keep my house in order, so that the word of God may not be reviled. Having others mentor me, and/or watching what older women than I do, helps me keep my perspective where it aught to be. Off me and on God and others.

It's not an easy thing to do. One needs to be intentional about spending time with other women. Teaching them, showing them, coming alongside. Giving practical advise about how to live, helping younger women learn how to be grounded in the Lord God, and so forth.

How does one do this? As Nancy says:

It’s really just giving friendship, counsel, encouragement, exhortation by your example, by your words, one on one in the context of everyday life.

How do you train your children?

• You’re there.
• You’re with them.
• You observe.
• You walk with them through life.
• You deal with issues as they arise.
• You look for teachable moments.

We train younger women in much the same way. Not that they’re children, but it’s similar in the sense that it takes place in the context of everyday life.

This is what we are to do as older women who care for our younger women. Teach them, show them, just like you a child....but you're helping them to see beyond themselves into what God wants them to be. This is what I need to be doing more actively, even as I raise my boy. Teaching the younger women that God has placed in my life. Shall we get to it?