SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, another week and January will be over. Can you believe it? This new year of 2012 is certainly moving along at a fast clip. That means we don’t have time to laze about or fool around, we have to get ourselves together asap, get our spirits properly aligned with that of Christ, so that we can work seriously and diligently on His behalf. And one of the ways we need to do that is through our general behaviour, especially in our domestic or home lives. As Bruh Paul wrote to his protégé Titus in our Bit, after leaving him on the island of Crete to establish and then nourish the churches: ‘But speak thou the things which become (are proper for) sound doctrine.’ Yes Friends, as the old folks constantly drilled in our ears and tried to instil in our hearts and minds: ‘charity (LOVE) begins at home.’ You can’t expect to go outside and preach Jesus, while at home you’re heartily entertaining Lucifer. We must first hone our Jesus skills at home before we go abroad with them. Consequently, Bruh Paul outlined to Titus: ‘That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.’ (Titus 2:2) That’s right my people, elderly men in the church ought to be sensible, as well as not drunkards, in the common use of the word sober, reverent and dignified too, not forgetting thoughtful and prudent, having a strong and healthy faith, also a strong LOVE walk, and be very steadfast and persevering. Wow! A lot’s sure expected of us Friends. In other words, we elderly men should lead by example, be pillars of godliness to the younger men. The same goes for the older women: ‘The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things.’ (Titus 2:3) They too should show godly behaviour, not be slanderers and gossip-mongers, or winebibbers, having the moral fortitude to teach others the right way. ‘That they may teach (admonish) the young women to be sober, to LOVE their husbands, to LOVE their children, To be discreet (modest and decent), chaste (sexually pure), keepers at home (homemakers not idle), good, obedient (submissive) to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.’ (Titus 2:4-5) That’s how older men and women ought to behave, teaching the young both by example and words. Unfortunately a lot of us do neither, while some say the words, but they’re totally opposite, at odds with the example they show in their lives. This particular verse where Bruh Paul tells Titus: ‘Young men likewise exhort to be soberminded,’ (Titus 2:6) is one that many of us flunk. Why? Because in many instances we’re afraid to talk to the proud, egotistic, worldly young men of today for fear of undesirable repercussions. It’s not like when we were growing up, where you could admonish a stranger for inappropriate behaviour and get away with it. Not in today’s lawless and ruthless society, for you can quite easily come to verbal abuse and even physical harm by talking to a young person you know, much less one you don’t know. Consequently, the gangs and other non-law abiding groups are causing many of us to live in fear, because if we criticize their behaviour they are liable to retaliate violently. But that doesn’t mean we have to stop trying, we just have to be more judicious about how we reprimand them. Then Bruh Paul further exhorts Titus: ‘In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness (integrity), gravity (reverence), sincerity (incorruptibility), Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part (an opponent) may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.’ (Titus 2:7-8) Ah Friends, like most things in this confused, strife-torn world, that directive is easier said than done. But as followers of Jesus that’s what is expected of us. Remember Jesus has high hopes and expectations of excellence from us, and though we’ll make mistakes along the way, with His help, we can certainly improve. However, we have to take the whole thing seriously, make a conscious decision to do it, then work diligently at it. This unfortunate contradiction between our words and our behaviour is what turns others off of believers. That’s why Jesus so often lambasted the scribes and Pharisees of His day, calling them hypocrites, because their pompous, highfalutin talk didn’t match their walk. Oh my people, please, I implore us, let’s not allow that to be said of us – at least not after today. (smile) Let us try our very best to bring the basic elements of Christianity to the forefront in all aspects of our lives, so that Jesus will be worthily glorified and His wonderful kingdom furthered. Much LOVE!…how can we call ourselves followers of Jesus…and not walk the way He walked…