Titus 3

This entry is more of a marking---like making a notch on a tree to count the days.

It's been a long year with the instability of our country within the presidency of Donald Trump, enduring this pandemic. I have felt torn from our local church body by beliefs that, to me, seem out of keeping with what I understand of Christ and His kingdom.  So, I have pulled back.  I have prayed. I have read. I have studied. I have meditated upon the Westminster Catechism. I've asked many questions and received few satisfyingly clear answers.

But, Thursday morning--yesterday morning--after my Wednesday ended with the crazy images of rednecks and "thugs" storming the Capitol of our country, God gave me a solid piece that is rock hard and clear.  It comes from my Bible reading, just keeping with my progress, the next verses in the next chapter, but clearly speaking, affirming, recognizing, and clarifying all of the crap that I have seen parading as Christianity lately:

Be Ready for Every Good Work

"Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 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. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 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, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 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." Titus 3:1-8 ESV 

 The truths that shine through to me?

See people, see friendships, see individuals.  Cultivate connect and relationship. Honor each other--within the church especially, but also give honor to rulers and authorities outside of the church.  Give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  This helps me to love, to connect, to not pull back even though there are large pieces of others I don't understand and that repel me at times.

Consider my own shortcomings: "For we ourselves were once foolish....slaves to various passions and pleasures..." It's much easier to look out, harder to look in. Easier to justify my own actions and thoughts. Harder to stand outside them and question how they appear.  How they may have threads of things that need weeding out.  To be vulnerable. To feel as if I am failing.

Prepare to do good works.  It's easy to see all the not good works out there--they are rife.  My job is yes, to name and reject them as not good, but I also need to prepare to counter them with goodness.  The thought of the "common good" is something that has become foreign to our individualistic culture. But, the call clearly seems to me to seek the common good of all. What might this mean?  It definitely means the first two items above, but it may also mean other sacrifices and postures that I want and need to be open to.

What I see now is not "excellent" or "profitable" for the people around me.  Find what is excellent.  Hold fast to it. Pray for everyone and for God's will to be done.

And it all reminds me again, brings me full circle, back to the critical necessity of reading God's word, the scriptures, every day, first thing to make God a priority, to recalibrate, orient my posture to Him, to be open and listening--not to myself, not to Christian leaders, not to the winds that blow this way or that, but to God---seeking what is true, what I know, where I am given liberty and ability to work, pray, and be each day.