Passage
Remind them to submit to the rulers and authorities, to
obey, to be prepared for every good work, to blaspheme no one, to be lacking in
conflict, to be gracious while demonstrating every humble submission to all
people.
Thoughts for Today
First Thought:
As Paul begins to wind up this letter, he reminds Titus of
some general lessons for successfully living among community. In these two verses, the overarching theme is
once more humble submission. We are not
only to submit to our authorities but to all people. We are to be a people of peace, not
conflict. Humble submission is difficult
to achieve in this world as our world teaches us to be self-centered. Yet, God wants us to think of the other
person. God wants us to think of their
needs. God wants us to submit and be
willing to let others have their way and be in control if they need to be. After all, we have eternal life to enjoy; why
do we have to be in control and dominate over these few years here on earth?
Why can submission be hard to achieve? Why do you think this topic keeps coming up
in the New Testament letters? When is it
easy for you to submit? When is it
difficult?
Second Thought:
Paul also tells Titus to teach people how to be ready for
good work and to be gracious. These
ideas pair nicely with the concept of submission. When we are genuinely interested in doing
good, our submission comes across as genuine.
When we are gracious, our submission will not be confused with
patronization. There is an art and a
skill – a way of life, really – to being submissive to God and those to whom
God has asked us to submit.
When are you gracious?
With whom is it a challenge to be gracious? How interested in doing good works are
you? With what kinds of good works do
you think that you excel?
Third Thought:
Paul also reminds Titus to tell people that they should not
blaspheme against one another.
Literally, blasphemy is speech that harms and injures the reputation of
another. When we blaspheme God, we harm
His reputation. When we blaspheme one
another, we harm the reputation of the other.
Sometimes we call this slander or gossip. But blasphemy is really a challenging word
for it. God doesn’t want us
intentionally harming or injuring the reputation of one another. It is hard enough to have a good reputation
to begin with, much less when we have to combat the attacks of one another!
Do you blaspheme other people and their reputations? About whom do you find it difficult to say
anything nice? Why is this true?
Passage for Tomorrow: Titus 3:3-4
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