I love to encourage. I love to do that through teaching. I believe those are my main motivational gifts from God. Whether writing a devotion, planning a Bible Study or developing a message series, it will always revolve around encouragement. I pray that encouragement is not just pumping people up or giving someone false hope. I pray that it is based soundly in the Word of God, knowing full well that encouragement often requires discipline, difficult changes and high expectations. Encouragement through sound teaching should enable us to grow and be better.
When Paul left Titus on the Isle of Crete, he left him with a difficult task and with words of instruction for various groups in the church. But he also left Titus with personal instructions for his own ministry. “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.” [Titus 2:7-8]
Read that instruction again. Two things stood out for me. The first is that Titus is to teach, and that teaching is to be with integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that is without error. Paul knew that people would observe the character of the teacher as well as the soundness of the lesson being taught. He urged Titus to do or say nothing for which others could find fault.
But Paul understood another thing … that what Titus did reflected on all. Do these things Paul urged so that those who oppose you “have nothing bad to say about us.”
The Church is the body of Christ. What one member does, what one teacher does, reflects on all of us. We must be so careful that we truly reflect Christ with integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech. People watch, let’s not arm the opposition.
