By Jeffery M. Leonard, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Religion, Samford University
Reality Check
Titus 3:3–11
One of the ways an older generatio passes on its collective wisdom to a younger one is by distilling that wisdom into proverbs. A watched pot never boils. A penny saved is a penny earned. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Statements like these endure because they represent the agreed upon wisdom of the community as a whole. And while some proverbs may be worded in a way that initially seems opaque — my sons have literally no idea what “A stitch in time saves nine” might mean — once explained, the truth of a proverb seems almost inarguable.
Two proverbs that present opposite sides of the same coin are “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” and “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Surely all of us know the experience of taking something for granted only to miss it terribly once we no longer have it. It might be that certain restaurant that we rarely visit but miss a great deal once it has gone out of business. It might be a relative we didn’t visit as often as we should have but whom we would give anything to see once they have died. It might be the experience of only realizing how much we miss the use of one hand once we’ve managed to sprain a wrist or break an arm.
Unfortunately, we can experience the same sort of “take-it-for-granted” attitude when it comes to our spiritual lives. As time passes, the excitement we felt after becoming a Christian or enjoying a profound spiritual experience can fade. The experience of our faith can become something we are still committed to but that we don’t really treasure the way we once did. A faith that we take for granted is hardly the kind of faith that will draw others to want what we have.
Ministry is grounded in the gospel of Christ. (3–8a)
The New Testament letter to Titus outlines one of the keys to rekindling the passion of our faith and restoring the joy of our relationship with God. Put simply, this letter encourages us to remember where we came from (v. 3). Perhaps not every sin listed in this verse dominated our lives, but we all know the dark places our hearts used to inhabit. And it was in that dark place that the light of God broke in and rescued us. As the following verses remind us, the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, and in His mercy He saved us.
Ministry is a response to the gospel of Christ. (8b)
Remembering where we came from is key to having a vibrant and passionate faith. That same remembrance should also spur us on to living out our faith in everyday life. Verse 8 of this same chapter encourages us that our belief in God should lead us to devotion and to good works.
Ministry has no room for personal preferences or self-centeredness. (9–11)
In the same way that renewed appreciation of our own salvation should spur us on to good works, it also should close the door on certain bad works. Our commitment to God should be sufficient motivation for seeking to get along with others. We are commanded to love one another, not to vanquish them on the field of theological argument. And while we are called to defend the faith, major arguments over minor things only serve to create dissension. We can hardly expect a person who has not embraced the love of God to receive it from our hands when those hands are tightened into fists raised at fellow disciples of Christ.
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