When we examine the women of the Bible, we often find the examples they set went beyond staying at home cleaning, cooking and taking care of the children. So what did Paul mean when he said that women should be “busy at home” in his letter to Titus?

We have the example of the Proverbs 31 wife. She worked hard in various ways to help provide for her family. She helped those in need. She made decisions about purchasing property with her earnings. Her husband was not involved in every major decision. He trusted her because he knew her character.

Paul pointed out other women who worked beyond the home: Lydia, a seller of purple, who offered Paul and his companions the hospitality of her household; and Priscilla who worked beside her husband in the tent making business and in teaching others the gospel.

This does not mean that we go to the other extreme to say that all women must work outside the home. As any wife and mother knows, homemaking and childrearing are fulltime jobs. We sometimes overlook the fact that the Proverbs 31 wife had servants to help with the day to day labor. Neither Lydia nor Priscilla, as far as we know, had minor children as the Proverbs 31 woman did.

What does the book of Titus say the older women are to teach the younger women? Since women share a perspective on life that sometimes men do not, women can more easily teach other women especially in the area of applying scriptures and Christian character to the home. Although perspective may vary between women in different cultures, the wisdom and principals of character are the same for all Christians.

Join us as we examine what the older women were to Train the Younger Women in this month’s issue.