Devotional

Today’s Reading is from Titus 3:1-11:

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Do you remember that Titus has to deal with the men from Crete?  Men (and women) who didn’t have the best reputation for getting along with others?  Titus 1:12 says “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 

Paul gives Titus a specific instruction for him in regards to his congregation “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

Not a small list eh?   As easy one to follow yes?  NOT!  At least not for me and I’m not even from Crete with a bad reputation.  🙂  But here, these people are encouraged to be better than their reputation.  They need to be submissive to their leadership, to be an obedient people, a people ready for every good work (see.. not lazy!).  They are to not speak evil of anyone, they are avoid quarreling … you know that needless fighting some folks (even me) get into that has not real purpose.   They are to be a gentle and courteous folk.   Can you imagine it?  Paul saw this possibility for the people of Crete, for the people under the guidance of Titus.  They were a people not known for such qualities.  And yet.. and yet Paul sees it in them and calls them into that type of behaviour.

Have you noticed God does the same for us? 

Seeing something in us, and calling us to live toward that goal, that ideal, that way of being.  He sees our potential in a way that no one else can.   Isn’t that awesome?  Like really.

It’s like when a teacher sees the potential in a student and pushes them into that potential … by giving extra work, or calling upon them to help with a task, or pointing out a skill that perhaps the student didn’t know they had until it was pointed out to them.   Paul sees this need, for the people of Crete to be encouraged, and so he minds Titus to do that.  To call the people to be more of what they have inside of them but don’t let out.   Be something more.

That’s the same call that God has upon our lives you know?  To be that something more.   Doesn’t that call just want to help you do better?   I know that when I am really cognizant of the fact that I am one of God’s own, that he calls me a beloved child, that it makes me want to live up to a higher standard.  If someone says that I am kind or patient… it helps me all the more to be a kind and patient person.

So let us then be that.  Let us then encourage it in others.  Be a Titus.  Be a congregant of Titus.  BE MORE.

I think that’s enough for the day, we’ll do the rest of this section another day eh?  🙂

Titus 2 is today’s reading. 

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

I admittedly am not sure if I will get through this entire chapter today. Yesterday we learned the importance of choosing elders well.. what standards they are held to.  How hard it is to live the life of one called to lead God’s people and lead them well. 

Today we pay attention not just to the elders of the church, but to a broader spectrum.

• Older men who are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in their faith, sound in love, and sound in their steadfastness.
• Older women who are to reverent in behaviour, teaching what is good, training young women.
• Young women loving their families, self-controlled, pure, home-workers, kind, submissive to their men.
• Young men are to be self-controlled.
• Everyone: Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,  and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 
• Bondservants to be submissive to their masters, well-pleasing, not argumentative, honest and showing all good faith.

Why?

That in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.  This is what it comes down to.  Are we showing our Lord and Saviour in the best light?  Our goal: so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 

Kinda helps us not to be so self-serving eh?  When we see the end result of how we are supposed to live. Showing who God is and not giving folks reason to be talking negatively about us. 

I don’t know about you but gee… I don’t find this so easy to do.  That self-controlled bit.. man.. I SUCK AT THAT.  I want something I go get it.  I’m feeling nibbly.. I get food.  I want a rabbit.. I go find one.  I want a Thing.. I get it.. unless of course I’m broke.   Not a good thing.  So how do I learn better self-control.  I AM slowly learning this you know.  To say hey.. so what if you are nibbly STOP IT. I question myself: Do I really need it?  I sometimes succeed, I sometimes don’t.  Using an accountability program helps. 🙂

Sometimes I’m not so good at showing love to my family, or in teaching younger women the skills they need.  I need to find a better place to be of service to God.  This holding pattern I’m in, is sometimes very hard. I want a church family to call my own long term. 

Anyways, why does Paul tell this all to Titus?  Is he teaching him so that he can teach the Cretans… that hard group of  people to work with?   

Paul reminds Titus and me of this: God’s grace appeared. It did.   This grace brought salvation to all… not just those who excel and self-control or love or teaching/mentoring.  FOR ALL PEOPLE.   And that salvation.. you know what it does?   It helps to train us to renounce those icky parts of us.  Those ungodly seeking after the world parts.  Those parts that say “eat me, buy me, use me”.  This grace, this salvation gives us a hope for the future… which helps us in turn to live the self-controlled, upright and godly lives we are called of God to live.

Consider the implications of these words: the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.  We have been redeemed. We have been purified by his actions.  We are HIS people.  HIS possession.  So what should we be?  A people zealous, eager, acting in anticipation… that’s what we should be… a people who WANT to do good works.

Paul closes this chapter with this exhortation for Titus.  DO NOT LET OTHERS DISREGARD YOU.  Declare, exhort, teach, rebuke with all authority.  Remember… Christ called you to this task.. live up to it! 

I have to admit readers… sometimes, sometimes I wonder what task the Lord has given me.  What does he want me to be eager to do?  Lately I am struggling to see this task.  Pray for me won’t you?  Help me to see the task that God has set aside for me to do, the task that will bring glory to his name and show forth Christ’s goodness. The task that will be “MY GOOD WORK” for the Lord God.

original photo:

Today’s reading is from Titus 1:5-16 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Paul had left Titus in Crete for a reason.  He was to put the church there in order and get the leadership set into place.

Elders in every town!  Every town.. think about this.  Not just the big cities, but every town.  Seeing to the establishment of the church everywhere. 

What are the qualifications of an elder?

• above reproach
• husband of one wife
• Children are believers
• Not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination
• Not arrogant, quick-tempered, a drunkard, violent or greedy
• Needs to be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
• Must hold firm to the word being trustworthy as taught.
• Needs to hold firm to the word as trustworthy so that he can teach others sound doctrine AND to be able to rebuke those who would contradict that truth.

I read through that list and being chosen as an elder is hard work.  like hard!  Trustworthy, holding to the word, no charges able to be brought against, hospitable, self-controlled and more.  Elders are good men.  REALLY good men.  Not a position for the faint of heart is it?   Able to teach and rebuke!

So we know what an elder needs to be.  Now the question is this.  WHY? Why are the qualifications for elders so tough?

What is the danger?

Paul answers this:  For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers. These people need to be silenced, their shameful for gain preaching is wrecking families.  They shouldn’t be doing this and therefore need to be rebuked for doing so.  Knowing well God’s word and trusting in it gives them the tools they need to do so properly.

Titus is working with the Cretans who have the reputation for being “liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” so Paul reminds Titus to be firm with them, rebuking them sharply for his end goal is this: That they be sound in the faith.  He wants them to know well the truths of God and not get caught up in myths.  Myths such as Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

Knowing truth will keep them from denying God, and being detestable, disobedient and unfit for any good work.  He wants them to be pure and undefiled. So in other words.. Paul wants them to live to the life they have been called out of.  Live to being filled with HOPE, purity, loving good and so much more. So Titus needs to be tough with them for their own eternal good.

Man… tough job eh?  Makes me grin in a way though.. like working with stubborn Dutchmen!  🙂  Not for the faint of heart.  But God calls us to the task we are suited for.  And if Titus needs to work with the liars, deceivers, lazy gluttonous beasts of Cretan, he must have the ability to do so eh?

Original photo by : Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash