Titus 2 Truths: To Love their Children Pt 2

We continue this week in our study in Titus 2 considering the ways in which older women are to teach the younger how to love their children. If you recall last week's post, Catriona explained that the greatest way we can love our children is to look out for their spiritual, eternal welfare.

As Catriona mentioned last week, it might seem strange that young women are to be taught to love their children. In fact, some might even raise an objection to this, arguing that love comes naturally to mothers. This is the case for many, and yet, there are times when we falsely interpret maternal love for other things. Sharon James in her book, God's Design for Women mentions a few examples:

• Fear of losing control: seen in being domineering
• Fear of sickness or accident: seen in being over-protective
• Fear of failure as a mother: seen in anger at the child's failure to reach mother's expectations
• Fear of losing a child's affection: seen in overindulgence and weak discipline

Sharon makes the point that we can think that we are loving our children, yet what really is needing addressed is an issue in our own lives. She goes onto add:

By contrast, genuine Godlike love is putting the interests of the other first. All the pressure on us now is to put 'number one' first. We are told that we should not do as our mothers did, and sacrifice ourselves for our children. Self-fulfilment is all important, and nothing, not even our children, should get in its way. But self-sacrifice is what bringing up the next generation is all about...Mothering (natural or spiritual) actually brings out the best in a woman, because it requires laying self aside.

So let's consider ways in which we can truly live sacrificially for our children and weed out false notions of love that are really only rooted in fear of failure, rejection and control .