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. (Titus 2:3-5)
Several weeks ago I wrote here about this verse and a Godly older woman who had invested herself in my life. A beautiful real-life example of a Titus 2 woman. Mrs. Sprano had been unwell for several years and to be honest when writing that post I wasn’t certain what had happened to her. I knew that her lovely daughter Mary had taken her mom out-of-state to care for her, and though I frequently asked my mother how she was doing, I wasn’t sure that she was still alive.
The week before last was an incredible reminder to me of the sovereignty of God in my life. I happened to fly to Virginia with my two little girls to spend a week with my parents. During our visit I discovered from my mom that Mary had brought Mrs. Sprano back to her home in Virginia, just a few months back, where she continued to care for her. Though Mrs. Sprano was no longer communicating and rarely awake, Mary graciously allowed me to visit with her. What a blessing it was to be able to sit by her bed and pray for her, to tell her how much she meant to me, and how her wise counsel had been so valuable.
Even after I was grown and no longer attending the same church as Mrs. Sprano, I would drop by her house and visit. I’m thankful that I even had the opportunity to introduce Brance to her before she became sick and moved away with her daughter. The Mrs. Sprano that I remembered though was very different from the Mrs. Sprano that I found on her bed that day. She had been a strong lady who had poured out her life serving and loving God and others. I couldn’t stop the tears, they flowed as I sat quietly. Mary smiled, handed me a tissue, and said that the same thing had happened with my mother.
Mrs. Sprano died just a few days after I got back to Boston. I’m so thankful that God in his sovereignty and perfect timing allowed me the privilege of being with her one more time before taking her home. And though I cried again when I learned that she had passed, my heart was full to the brim knowing that she was no longer sick and now with the Jesus she had diligently served and loved so much. I look forward to one day seeing Mrs. Sprano again. But until that day, may God give me the grace to run my race as well as she did.
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