For the older men

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;  the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—  that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. – Titus 2.1-5

This is such a precious section of scripture. Paul talks about the folks of people in the church, men and women, young and old.

First on the list is the older men. Quite the standard was set for them:

Be sober

Be reverent

Temperate

Sound in love

Sound in faith

Patient

The role of old men in summary is to be a pattern of good works for others to see. People must know by our lives that the word of God works and it works in the long run. We need to have grown out of most of our silliness and impetuosity and wavering. We may still get a little silly at times and things like that, but our lives should be known for something more.

There ought to be a soundness about us. We need to be well grounded love and faith so that people know that they can depend on us. These are areas where we need to be rock solid.

And by now, as hard as it is, we should have learned a measure of patience. By now our experience should have taught is to be willing to wait and watch God work. That certainly doesn’t imply laziness. We do what we can do, but then we have to wait on God. Decades of following Him should teach us how important that is.

Our lives should be a pattern for others.