There are many memes that portray the failure of one who had one job and failed to do that one job.  You probably know what I am talking about.  How can one miss doing specifically what they were given to do?  It seems so simple.  Do this and what you are assigned to do will get done.  Ah, but we get so easily distracted as workers and fail to do that one job we are told to do.  The results can be disastrous, depending on the significance and importance of the outcome of the work given to us.

In Paul’s letter to Titus, it seems Paul is running out of parchment and ink while writing from his jail cell to his proteges!  He gets right to point quickly about the job given to Titus.  He was more detailed to Timothy who was been assigned to go to Ephesus.  But to Titus, assigned to the island of Crete, he passionately writes, “Your job is…”.  He writes specifically and clearly understandably, with the details of God’s work through Titus.  I can also hear Paul say, “You’ve got one job, do it well!” 

As a leader assigned to many tasks in God’s Kingdom over the years, I am driven by the words of Paul and the other Apostles and Disciples in a summed up prayer for living, “Lord, may we do your assigned work in your ways, in your timing, leaving nothing undone but done well in the most excellent way—by your love in us—done in your Name for your glory, Amen”  This prayer helps me to stay focused on the One for whom I work, knowing who’s work it really is, with the right motivation for the work given to me.   Even with this motivation of heart, mind and soul, I don’t always get it right.  I am easily distracted and miss a detail or selfishly overwhelm myself with extra work that was not assigned for me to do.  I think we all do this from time to time, don’t we?  “All have sinned and fall short…”  So, it is important to stay focused on the work God has assigned to us.

Paul mentors Titus the details of how to stay focused on the “one job” he has been given to do while mentoring others to do it, too!  What wonderfully simple, great advice that is full of God’s wisdom!  Teach the older ones how to live the Jesus life, modeling it for the younger ones!  You have one job—live a God-honoring life!  Shine in God’s character traits to others who are growing in His love, too!

And, by the way, writes Paul, Jesus IS coming back, you know.  So, in the meantime, we live for Him who “…offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.”

We who believe have this one job—let’s do it prayerfully, lovingly, graciously and energetically—in Jesus Name, for His Glory!  Can I get an Amen?!

TITUS—CONTINUED MENTORSHIP

Titus 2, The Message

A God-Filled Life

2 ^1-6 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.

^7-8 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, trustworthy in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

^9-10 Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.

^11-14 God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

¹⁵ Tell them all this. Build up their courage, and discipline them if they get out of line. You’re in charge. Don’t let anyone put you down.

Lord,

Thank you for assigning me your specific work to do.  Help me to tell it, show it and live it courageously, and energetically!  Grow me still…

In Jesus Name, for YOUR glory, Amen!