Friday, July 12, 2024

Years ago, I was part of a group of women who wanted to lead well for Christ—in their families, their work, and their church. As an exercise for that group, we developed mission statements that encouraged us to “begin with the end in mind.” I have found this idea very useful, and Paul gives me something to aim for in Titus 1:8-9.

Titus 1:8-9
⁸ Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. ⁹ He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

1. Practice hospitality. This isn’t about entertaining people. It involves sacrificially opening our hearts and our gifts to people whom we typically wouldn’t spend time with—people who live differently than we do or have made choices we would never have made that resulted in difficult circumstances.
2. Love what is good. This seems simple, but when joined with living wisely and justly, “good” takes on more complex dimensions. It is something to be desired, to aspire to, to devote energy to acquiring. As the prophet Micah says, “He (God) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)
3. Live a devout and disciplined life. In order to become someone God can use to spread his message, we must read and study the Bible, participate in fellowship with other Christ followers, and live out the principles we find in Scripture. These things will prepare us to encourage others with wholesome teachings and to provide helpful guidance when they have erred in their thinking.

What does a church leader, a family leader, or a work leader look like?

We’re all leaders in some way. Whether you hold a traditional leadership position, influence a family, or serve in a church ministry of any sort, you can serve with the end in mind. Jesus prayed that “his kingdom come, his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When we adopt the principles of Titus 1:8-9 we bring the Kingdom of God a bit closer.

Questions:
How can the principles found in Titus 1:8-9 be employed? Are these doable in your life and circumstances? If not, why? If so, when will you start?

Next Steps:
One way of beginning with the end in mind is to think about what you would like people to say about you at your funeral. Ok, it’s a little morbid, but it is a useful exercise. After you write your “eulogy,” make a plan to ensure those things will be said about you. For extra credit, ask a close friend to read your eulogy and see if they have any suggestions.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I am grateful that you give me clear instruction about how to live a vibrant life following Jesus. I pray for the desire and courage to employ these principles in my life. Help me think about what it means to bring about your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Let me serve you with this end in mind by loving the people you put in my life, standing for justice, and spending focused time with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Titus 2:14
“He [Jesus] gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”

Today’s post was written by Lauri White, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.