Godliness #2

Continuing in 1 Timothy 2:9-11 - "Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty & self-control, not with braided hair & gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness."

Paul mentions women with "respectable apparel," "modesty & self-control," "good works," & quietness, when he speaks here in regards to "women who profess godliness." Oh, how I want to be a woman who professes godliness!

One will never know if Paul is writing out his own personal yearnings for a godly woman here or if these are indeed God's holy standards for the female gender. Regardless of this conflict, one thing I do know is that even for those who argue this as being simply Paul's opinion, I would take his views on the subject very highly anyway considering the nature of the man that he was - a man of wisdom & dignity!

I have been pondering these verses for weeks, trying to extract some practical wisdom from them, but all that I have been able to find are the flaws that shine clearly from my own heart & my own life. These verses do nothing but convict me & urge me to strive to be a more godly woman. I want to seek after godliness, therefore I must urge myself to continue to seek after the One who exemplifies these godly character traits that I strive to imitate. Focusing on each individual trait of what I feel a Godly woman should possess is not the key to being like Christ. One can only imitate the person in which they study carefully & know well. Therefore, we must strive to find our motivation & identity in Christ alone.

Godliness #1

It's been a while since I've last posted something on this here blog, but it's not because I haven't been learning anything. The fact is, I've been gaining an enormous amount of wisdom these past few months, so much, that I've hardly had time to think or even breathe, let alone spend the time to type out a full-length page concerning it all. Fortunately, I finally have room to breathe & actually collect my thoughts concerning the lesson I have been learning recently! I hope you are thrilled to read these words!

These lessons I have been learning have been partially extracted from my readings in First Timothy. Recent happenings in my life have also contributed to these, mostly involving a few personal struggles & broken relationships.

Since I have moved here to Reston to come on staff at RBC, I have seen & met many examples of a Godly man, much like I believe Paul was after his conversion. Whenever Paul gives advice about godliness to those he writes to in his letters, I always strive to extract this wisdom from Scripture. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2 about Godly men & women, & what they should strive to exemplify. He says in verse 8 that "in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands." I see it so much in this place: men of valor praying for their brothers & sisters in Christ. Where was that in college? Where was that among the halls of my Christian University?

And the dilemma even continues into the kids lives that I minister to on a daily basis who come from such broken homes - where are these men in the household? Where are these fathers & brothers?

This dilemma has caused me to realize that this kind of man is the one I want leading my future household. This is the kind of man that I want to raise up in my own family & that I'd like to see my future daughters come to marry someday. This is the kind of man that I hope the youth in our youth group are learning from & growing up to be, even if they don't have one modeled in their home.

If you are a man, this is the type of man that I hope you will strive to become.