Joel M Bradshaw

1You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.–Titus 2

1. What is taught must conform to what the Bible plainly teaches.
2. Biblical appropriateness leads to personal standards.
3. Find yourself in Paul’s list.
4. Each generation has influence upon another.
5. But that influence comes from faithfulness to the Bible.
6. Accountability is a guard rail for that influence.
7. You may be in multiple categories. I have younger men who look up to me and I also shepherd residents in a nursing home. I am at once the older man and the younger man. I am also a husband, father, brother, son, uncle, and in-law. I have to therefore stay diligent and intentional. How about you? Who do you influence? How do you influence?–JMB