Titus 2:1 - 2 - Living the Witness

Titus 2:1-2 "But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance." (NASB)

As I get older, I remember some of those times I'd really like to call back if I could. These were times when I was so sure of my point of view that I would argue with others about it. Their viewpoint didn't matter.......I'd blow past the point of what they were saying to get the "discussion" back to where it needed to be, on *my* points........in hindsight, I still can't recall the points I was trying to make in those exchanges, but I remember and am embarrassed by my huge ego.

When I read the scripture for tonight, I looked back upon those times, and I see them now in a much different light. And now when I see the same kind of behaviors begin to manifest themselves in me, I tend to recoil from them.

Being a disciple for the Lord.........being on His Team........means I do a bunch of listening. I try to let the Lord direct me in what to say to be sure I say the things that He wants me to say. I try to remind myself that my being right is irrelevant............what needs to be said to others is what the Lord wants me to say.

I've also spoken before in these devotionals about the integrity of my witness to others. It isn't just what I say that matters, but how I say it..........how I live my life..............how much of the Lord others hear in my words and how little of me.

And that's what strikes me about Brother Paul's words above...........I need to walk the talk of being a Christian before others will believe my words...........I need to be "temperate"............."dignified"........."sensible".....all of those things Paul mentions..........and if my ego is anywhere in the vicinity, I'm not where I need to be, spiritually, to give an effective witness.

Witnessing is more than quoting Bible verses................it's living them so completely that the words aren't really necessary as people see me living them.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on April 19, 2004 in post #531. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 14, 2006

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