Loving your children is not idolatry.

 “urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to 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.”  Titus 2:4-5 

In this scripture we see a powerful example of cause & effect.

Cause: Love your children 

The cause here is the catalyst which will produce a very important result.

Effect: So that no one will malign the word of God

The word malign means: to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, blaspheme
to be evil spoken of 

Women embracing Titus 2 is crucial to Christianity “so that no one will malign the word of God.”

Our lifestyle as wives & mothers has the capability to cause others to revile or blaspheme the word of God. 

Hopefully the cause and effect in this passage captures our hearts and our attention. 

Quick disclaimer: I have a tremendous amount to learn & continually see my own need to focus on my personal growth. 

However I’m learning a lot, and I aspire to help “train the younger women” the way Titus 2 says to as I desire to please God. Let our lives draw others to want to know God, and far be it from us to cause others to turn away from the gospel message. 

I don’t consider myself an older woman, though I am older than some. 

This is not to say that it’s not possible to idolize our children though loving and protecting them does not make a woman guilty of such sin.

For example a mother could be in spiritual danger if she consistently prioritizes her children’s happiness over their holiness, submits to her children and is led by them instead of lovingly teaching and discipling them, or  uses her children as an excuse for not obeying God. 

But love for our children is a command from God, and our obedience to this command is not idolatry. The word idolatry is one that should be used with tremendous discretion so as not to wrongly accuse a mother of sin, or dissuade her from loving the way she is called by God to love. 


The more I study out biblical womanhood especially as it pertains to my responsibilities as a wife and mother I find myself increasingly inspired & convicted. For that reason I heed the call from these passages…. To apply the scriptures and to train others. 

In this video I’m teaching from Titus 2:

Jesus calls mothers to love their children, that is to be fond of one’s children. 

No one is fond of anything, or anyone they feel is in inconvenience.  If a mother views her children as an inconvenience she will not treat them with a genuine fondness. Children should not be treated as an inconvenience or a burden. 

Children are not an obstacle to a more important ministry. Our husbands & children are our immediate ministry. They are a ministry entrusted to us by God, and we are called to love them. 

Christian women should not be encouraged to put off motherhood so they can focus on a more important ministry. God says,  “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.”  Psalm 127:3–5. 

Never encourage a woman to postpone childbearing for what something you consider of greater worth. 

A mother should not place her children in a compromising environment for any reason. Not as a matter of personal preference, or convenience. 
Nor should a Christian mother yield to direction to place her children in any such environment that may be spiritually detrimental. Especially not so that they can focus on what’s more “important”. The salvation of a christian parent’s children should be the number one goal. 

What was Jesus’s heart toward children: 

Jesus did not push the children away.  

Mark 10:13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.


People brought children to encounter Jesus. 
The disciples pushed them away by rebuking them. 
Jesus became indignant and corrected the disciples. 
He called the children to himself. 

Children should not be delegated out regularly as a means of convenience. We must imitate Christ’s heart as disciples and as parents saying, Bring the little children to me, and do not hinder them…” 


In closing I just want to reiterate:  Mother’s love your children with a Jesus kind of love. The love we find in 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.


Mandee Rohn