“Be careful not to look
down on these little ones,” Jesus said to His disciples.
Who are the “little
ones” of whom Jesus speaks? They are, as His behavior illustrates, the weak,
unlearned and untrained, wounded and
vulnerable.
Why are these “little
ones” so important? Because, as Jesus explains, “. . . [T]heir angels in heaven
always see the face of My Father.” (Matthew 18:10)
Some “little ones” are
weak and unlearned. In the last days, wrote St. Paul to Timothy, there will
be no respect for what is holy; there will be a love of pleasure rather than
God. Some people will appear to have a godly life but they won’t let its power
change them. St. Paul told Timothy that counterfeit teachers would increase in
the last days. He cautioned that they would be especially manipulative of
“weak-minded women who are burdened with sins and led by all kinds of desires.
“These women,” continued
the inspired St. Paul, “are always studying but are never able to recognize the
truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7) Who are these “weak-willed women”? The Concordia
Self-Study Bible notes that they are “unstable women who are guilt-ridden
because of their sins, torn by lust, and victims of various false teachers.”
Do we know these women?
Yes. They are us.
American women are the
best educated women in the history of the world, yet a high percentage is
ill-informed about our origin and noble purpose. We are “weak-willed”
when influenced by every trendy thought. We are unlearned when we seek
knowledge at the university or from self-help books, but are “unable to
recognize the truth”. We are untrained when no one mentors us in purity,
good judgment, and positively affecting the culture for generations to come.
When I was a young woman
in Lutherans For Life, I was determined to help others learn the truth about
abortion. I was the one who learned most! Over and over again, I came face to
face with men and women who had been more influenced by the world than by the
Word of God. These men and women separated their faith from every day life and,
based on opinions and theories, made choices that forever changed their lives.
Some wrapped their worldly thinking in Jesus (a spiritually dangerous
deception); others spiraled into despair. For this reason, as an older woman in
Lutherans For Life, I was motivated to begin a mentoring ministry using the
model of Titus 2.
Every group of Titus 2
women is made up of the weak and unlearned. That’s because we’ve
all been influenced by worldly ideas such as modern feminism, modern sex
education, population control, and abortion. Worldly ideas attack the very
heart of what it means to be a man or a woman. Satan tempts us to doubt God and
our human flesh jumps at the chance! We may be able to rationalize with trendy
thought but, without holding on to the “sword” of God’s mighty Word for life, we
are most tragically ill-equipped to be strong in the face of danger.
Weak and
unlearned women (or men) become wounded and vulnerable.
Festering wounds produce both pain and anger. Pain may cause us to draw in, but
anger may cause us to lash out. It was during a Titus 2 presentation on
Biblical manhood and womanhood that I noticed the agitated woman. Out of the
corner of my eye, I saw her repeatedly shake her head. I prayed for the
opportunity to have a private moment with her, but my body shook when the moment
came. Placing herself firmly “in my face,” she hissed, “I will never raise my
daughter to trust a man!” In a twinkle, the Holy Spirit reminded me that the
angels of this “little one” see the face of God. I was encouraged, not to look
down on her but, to see her broken heart. I could cherish this woman in her
wounded state, not by focusing on her contrary attitude but, by gently
speaking God’s Word. I could assure this “little one” that our Heavenly Father
is faithful to keep His promises and that, in Jesus, she and her daughter will
always find the Perfect Man who honors women with His sacrificial love.
At a Titus 2 retreat
hosted in an LFL home, I challenged the group to read popular quotes and then
contrast them with God’s Word. When the discussion took a natural turn toward
abortion, I became aware of the woman to my right. I could “hear” her anger as
she loudly, and almost rudely, scribbled in her study guide. This attractive
30-something woman was certainly educated. Her eloquence and choice of words
earlier in the day evidenced “knowledge.” But, her anger revealed something
else. Had the pain of this woman’s wound pierced her conscience? Was
her conscience now poking away at the wall of denial she had built for
self-protection? No matter. Because the angels of this “little one” see the
face of God, I was called, not to look down on her, but to cherish her. I could
do that by sharing words of welcome from the Savior of her precious soul.
Vulnerability
often takes women (and men) by surprise. It is common, as I begin to wrap up
“Dressing for Life: Secrets of the Great Cover-up,” to see tears in the eyes of
daughters, mothers, and grandmothers. This purity life-style show, a mentoring
tool of Titus 2 for Life, works up to and concludes with the message of the
white wedding dress – what it signifies and why God wants all women to wait
patiently for their husbands on their wedding nights. No longer am I surprised
to see guests brush away tears as they watch young girls model vintage wedding
dresses. What memories produce those tears? Are they of joy… or regret? No
matter. It is more important for me to remember that, because the angels of
these “little ones” see the face of God, I should not look down on them.
Instead, I can cherish these “little ones” with tenderness only the Holy Spirit
can motivate by excitedly moving on to my favorite part of the whole script:
In Jesus there is hope! All of us have failed to dress
and live in a way that pleases God but, in Jesus, every repentant man and woman
is forgiven and set free to start fresh and clean!
Jesus says the “little
ones” are the weak and unlearned, wounded and vulnerable.
They are all around us; in fact, they are us.
May we be moved by Jesus’
Spirit of truth to cherish the “little ones” of all generations. Why? Because
their angels in heaven see the face of the Father!
If
you are interested in using the Bible study “Dressing for Life” with your
daughters and their friends in your home, during catechism, or at a “sleep
over,” you may download the ten lesson study by visiting
www.lutheransforlife.org ($15) Lessons discuss our
identity as God’s daughters, His reason for clothes, the look and behavior of
love, respect for men, and why we wait for the white wedding dress.
