Titus Chapter 2: verses 6-10 (NIV)
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.
Paul is again setting principles as to how Christians in all walks of life should behave, not just in what they say but how they conduct themselves, even in the face of people who oppose us. He says we should give people no grounds on which to point the finger at us, and that we should be living our lives in a manner that makes the teaching of Christ attractive. That doesn’t mean that we set out to please people. It means reflecting what Jesus is like.
That’s important today more than ever, because often people have a pre-conceived idea of Christianity and a misguided view of the character of Jesus, and it’s not the most attractive one. They don’t know Him to be able to redress the balance, and we may be the only professing Christians that they know. They may thing Christianity is boring, and being godly or holy not something they want to aspire to, again because of what they think it would be like. But in my experience when you meet and spend time with a genuinely godly person, it’s a pleasure to spend time in their company because the presence of Jesus in their life is so attractive. We need to make the effort to put our own character aside so that as John the Baptist put it, He must increase and I must decrease. If that becomes our norm, then Jesus will be reflected in our lives and He will attract people to Himself, and we will have the privilege of being the vessel through which He shines.
Dear Lord,
I am aware of how pleasant it is to spend time in the company of those who live faithful godly lives. Help me to make sure that Jesus is reflected in my speech and actions so that people are given the chance to see Him at work in me. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.