Begin With The End in Mind

A few years back, our family took a trip to Amish Country. We were all curious to catch a glimpse at the life of the Amish. We went to an Amish farmers market and sampled their delicious cinnamon buns and baked goods. We admired their quilts, handmade toys and their old fashioned way of life. We went to an Amish yard sale and bought the kids their old dresses for dress up. An Amish woman actually dressed up Rebekah and fixed her hair in the typical twists on the side pulled back into a bun. We were outsiders to the Amish and curious about them.

Imagine for a minute, that we traveled all the way to Pennsylvania and booked a tour of an Amish farmhouse. When we got inside we noticed several things that just didn’t seem Amish: a flat screen tv, a computer and a family that was dressed like any other typical American family. You may begin to wonder if this family was an authentic Amish family, or if this tour was a scam.

Just like we are curious about the Amish, the outside world is curious about those who claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ. They expect us to be different, and if we are not, they may begin to wonder if we are authentic or not.

The Bible gives us a list of qualities that Christian women should display, in order to make the gospel of Jesus Christ look attractive to the outside world. There are the inner qualities in the list and outward actions in the list. So if you are a young women, let me encourage you to begin with the end in mind, and read over this list so you know what your goals will be. Growing in godliness in these ways makes the gospel attractive to the outside world.

Titus 2 gives us this list: Godly older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not a slave to much wine, apt to teach what is good.

Titus 2 encourages younger women to love their husbands (friendship love) and children, to be self controlled, pure, workers at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands.

In 1 Timothy 3:11 we are also told that the wives of church deacons are to be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

In I Timothy 5:3,10 we see a lists the good works that God values in a widow: they should be reported for good works, brought up children, lodged strangers, washed the feet of saints, relieved the afflicted, diligently followed every good work.

So, read over these lists and assess your own progress. Where do you need to grow? What steps can you take to make that happen? And by the way, this list is not popular in today’s culture. These qualities will not make the front page of popular women’s magazines. In fact, it is totally counter culture.

But, we are citizens of another country and our citizenship is in heaven. We cannot become attached or too comfortable in a place that is not our home. We are strangers and pilgrims, with our minds, hearts and affections set on things above, not on things of this earth.