Titus 3, The Message
1-2 Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God’s people should be bighearted and courteous.

3-8 It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

8-11 I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It’s obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off.

What do we learn?
–We are a redeemed people from the inside out!
–Live the redeemed life with God doing the transforming.
–Respect the government process. No fighting. No insults!
–We have life and more life because of God’s work, through His Son, in us!
–Make a stand and stand firm on God’s essentials.
–Work to diffuse arguments, not ignite them.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are God and we are not. You transform us more perfectly than we could ever attempt for ourselves. So, have Your way with me. Transform me daily to be all you desire me to be. Make me fit for the next thing You would have me do…with You, joining You, where You are already at work. All my trust is in You. Thank you, Lord, for caring enough to transform us and not leaving us where we were before we met You. In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.