It has been quite awhile since I have written, but I'll do all of the catching up later. Right now, I want to talk about Titus. This book in the bible is a short, but powerful letter from Paul to one of his most trusted friends, Titus. In the letter, Paul is giving Titus the responsibility of whipping the "Christians" in Crete into shape and explains to Titus--and in turn you and I--how to handle difficult situations.
Paul leaves no room for interpretation. He calls the Cretans out as "liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons" (1:12) Paul goes on to say that "they must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they out not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain" (1:11). Right there: dishonest gain. Paul is calling to our attention that doing and saying things for the betterment of yourself and not others or deceiving others, isn't right. He tells Titus to silence them so they cannot spread that wickedness.
Ok, so they're faulty Christians, but is what they are actually doing really that bad? Paul explains, "they claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him" (1:16). What's the saying? Actions speak louder than words? That's the one. I have never been one to throw bible verses around in day-to-day conversation. Although I believe in God's word, I have found that when people begin quoting scripture in a regular conversation, I get very defensive. I believe what they are quoting, yet it really bothers me. I've come to accept that I'm not a quoter, I'm a doer. I act out (or try to) God's love and mercy through my actions. So, I love that Paul makes a specific note that people's actions display The Word of the Lord. We can't just talk the talk, we have to walk the walk as well.
Once Paul points out the bad, he translates into the good and how we, as Christians, should act. Perhaps my favorite verse in all of Titus is 1:8: "Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined." Hello! It's like a professor just gave you the answers to your final exam! Paul is spelling out for us how to be good people and show God's love and mercy. So, let's break it down...
Be hospitable - Mi casa es su casa. I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't want to share. Be it food, an article of clothing or a favorite reading chair, many times I find myself getting upset because I want it all to myself. Be nice. It's just stuff and we should be happy that someone else finds joy in the things we find joy in.
Be one who loves what is good - Gossip, ignorance, bullying (emotionally or physically). The list could go on, but it's all bad and it tears other people down. If it's so bad, why is it so darn easy to do? Doing what is right and good is hard, but God, through Paul's letter to Titus, is calling us to turn the other cheek, to be inclusive and to give to others.
Be self-controlled - Think before you act. Think before you speak. Be yourself and have a personality, but be respectful of yourself and your talents. On the opposite side, don't get worked up easily or snap at someone. Again, think.
Be upright, holy - So this trait on the list really bothered me at first. I really struggled with the idea that someone who loves God is put on a pedestal; they are better than the people around them. I read it again and again and I finally came to the conclusion that for me upright refers to being confident and holy means to respect my values and not be ashamed of them. Once I finally got to this interpretation, I loved that Paul was calling me to action, to stand up straight and fight for what I believe.
Be disciplined - Ok, so this is hard. I don't know about you, but I was notorious for scheduling an hour or two of studying each night in college, but instead going to the gym or watching Netflix. How about sitting down to read your bible? What about something as simple as calling our parents or a friend each week/month? It's hard to carve out time for these things. But Paul is giving us the challenge to sit down and really work on our mind and body so that we can be in tune with the Lord. It's hard, no doubt, but God is always there to help us along!
This is already much longer than I thought, but I want to encourage you to read Titus in the New Testament. It is super duper short--it took me about 10 minutes to read and I am a crazy slow reader. Once you've read it, walk away and then come back and read it again in a day or two. See if anything new pops out. It's a beautiful part of the bible that I am enjoying digging into. All of these interpretations are my own, but the best part about the bible is that each verse means something different to each of us. God gave the bible to each of us individually and I am learning just how powerful the bible is for me. Love and prayers for all that is good!
