October 21st - Reflection

Titus 2:7-8, 11-15 (NRSV)
A life devoted to good works

Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. ...

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you.


Reflection

Wow! Tough words to live by. Sometimes it's hard to show yourself as a model when you are attacked by slander and error. Sometimes it's difficult not to fall into this same tactic when you are on the defensive.

But this passage exhorts me to be a model of good living. I'm a sinner after all. I've already destroyed the model of sinlessness.

But this is a model of good living. Does good living include forgiveness, repentance, the knowledge of error and sin and the acting out of good? Does good living include the decision to follow Jesus as his disciple, learning and living and reaching out to him?

I think so. I think good living also includes the understanding that I am not God and cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith. In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it united with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church day after day he fully forgives my sins and the sins of all believers. On the last day he will raise me and all the dead and give me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true (Luther's explanation to the Third Article of the Apostles Creed - Small catechism).

I should also expect attacks from those who oppose the truth, who aim to slander my actions and words and to try to propagate error. I should expect some to hate me for my belief and life I live.

But I can rest assured that even under attack; the grace of God has appeared through Jesus Christ. Jesus is busy saving all people. In this salvation I can and will change as I follow Jesus. Christ died for my sin and has shown me a new way of living.

I gladly and joyfully follow in Jesus' call. I gladly and joyfully live by the gifts of the Spirit. I gladly and joyfully stand up for my Savior and my God. I gladly and joyfully proclaim God's glory forever.

And I gladly and joyfully look to the transformed living that is possible because I know God and Jesus as my Savior. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, teach me to stand for the faith and belief you have placed in me. When it's time to stand, may I stand and speak boldly the truth you have to offer. Forgive me when I fall into sin and fall to my own defenses. For you alone are all the defense I would ever need. --- Amen