Titus 2:1-8 says that elders should behave right in order to influence the younger ones to also behave right – this is how it should be. Beyond words, the younger generation learns more by observing. Besides hearing the things you say, they can also see the things you do. If you want them to behave rightly, let them see you do what you are asking them to do consistently first.

When you lie to get a favour for your child in school, and then turn around to tell that child not to lie to you, you are deceiving yourself. If they hardly see you pray and read your Bible, you can’t turn around and ask them to read their Bibles. You should be bold to say to the younger ones like Apostle Paul said:

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Philippians 4:9

Titus 2:7 says that you must show yourself as a pattern of good works.

Many elderly people usually say that in order to catch the youths, they need to dress like youths and use their slangs. What they don’t know is that when they start looking and talking like them, they are endorsing their lifestyle and some of their negative actions. They can’t change them that way, rather, they will only reinforce their negative behaviour. Instead, they should be a standard for the youths to follow. More often than not, the youths know the truth and when they do the wrong things, they actually expect the elders to correct them. Now, imagine their confusion when they see their elders doing the same things they want to be corrected about. In Yorubaland, where I come from, we call elderly people who behave childishly ‘agbaya’, meaning ‘shameless old fellow’.

God is counting on elders to guide the younger ones on how to behave for them to have a better tomorrow. God also expects the youths to submit to their elders in humility. Finally, Titus 2:2 says that elders should be sober, brave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity and in patience. As an elder, let this be your watchword. Don’t be an agbaya.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.