From Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I’m sent to bring about the faith of God’s chosen people and a knowledge of the truth that agrees with godliness. 2 Their faith and this knowledge are based on the hope of eternal life that God, who doesn’t lie, promised before time began. 3 God revealed his message at the appropriate time through preaching, and I was trusted with preaching this message by the command of God our savior. 4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. 5 The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you. 6 Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. 7 This is because supervisors should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. 8 Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. 9 They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it. (Titus 1:1-9, CEB)
Have you ever felt like someone taught you something and seemed to not finish the teaching process but then they were gone?
That is how I imagine Titus from the statement in verse 5. “The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you.” I imagine Titus being upset that Paul left him and went about business somewhere else. Titus had been traveling with and learning from Paul and now Paul just up and leaves him.
“Am I not good enough for this?”
“What did I do wrong?”
“Did I really mess it up that bad?”
When in reality Paul was saying you are ready to fly on your own. It was the push out of the nest to make Titus fly. Sometimes we misinterpret what others mean by their actions. When that happens, ask.
And know at some point we all have to fly, and you might falter at the beginning, but have confidence and you will soar!
Love People. Love God.
aSacredRebel 