Seeking Older Men Or Younger Men?

"Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."

In this section of the Bible, Paul gives Titus some teaching on relationships between older women and younger women and between older men and younger men. It does not take one long to find out what type of lingo is used within the church today. You could in a very short time assess within a church that young men are encouraged to go out seeking an older man to mentor them. It's upon hearing this very often over the last few years that has led me to search out the Scriptures to see why much has been made in the way of this teaching.

I do not come today with an exhaustive list of Scriptures to state my case as I am not seeking to write a book on the subject, but one Scripture in particular [seen above] I believe deals fairly thoroughly with the matter.

So let's examine Paul's exhortation. He said older women are to so train the young women. He also said [the men should] urge the younger men to be self-controlled. And lastly, as for ourselves, Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

In other words, all older women are to be out living their lives seeking younger women to teach and train up. All older men are to be living their lives seeking the younger men to teach and train up and be self-controlled. And everyone, old and young, female and male, are to show their lives as good examples for all others to follow.

In our church, we have sought to apply the words of our Apostle Paul fervently. I ask the people of God, "Is there someone younger than you?" And then I say like Paul, "Train them up." In this way, all people are being looked after and discipled. This way, all people are mentoring others. Then the question arises, "What about the oldest people?" "Who mentors them?" It's funny because Paul never deals with that, does he? Paul never found the seventy year old and said, "Now make sure you go out and find someone who is older than you so they can mentor you."

Paul does the opposite. He says to the seventy year old, train up the younger and be an example to all. He says to the thirty year old, train up the younger and be an example to all. He says to the fifteen year old, train up the younger and be an example to all.

Can you imagine what would happen if much were made of Paul's teaching to Titus? Can you imagine if everyone started living these truths? Can you imagine if everyone found someone younger than them to teach and train? Can you imagine if everyone started being a good example to others?

I think all our bases would be covered. I think God would oversee everyone being discipled. I think that in everything we would adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.