Titus 3:1-8

** Every now and again, I sign up for Pelotonia, an annual event here in Columbus where I painfully ride 57 miles on a bicycle to help raise money for life-changing cancer research. 100% of all donations go towards this research. You can donate to my ride here: Pelotonia | Keith Jones. Thanks!! 

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Titus 3:1-8

English Standard Version 

  I still remember the first year that I signed up for the Columbus Turkey Trot.  I thought it was a 4-mile race.  Somewhere after mile 3, I realized that it was a 5-mile race.  This was not a welcome realization -- it was more than I'd thought I was getting myself into when I signed up.

  When I read the passage 'show perfect courtesy toward all people', my heart has a similar feeling.  It's probably the same feeling the Pharisee had when, after Jesus had told him to love his neighbor as himself, he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"  He was expecting Jesus to put limits on such love, to provide some boundaries, for surely he didn't have to love everyone as he loved himself.  I feel the same way when I think about treating all people with perfect courtesy.  Do I really need to do that for everyone?

  But then I'm reminded that I'm not exactly perfect myself.  I'm probably on someone's mental list when they're thinking of people they don't want to show perfect courtesy towards.  And when we think about God, dwelling in perfection... well, none of us are good enough.  We're all foolish when viewed through the lens of perfection.

  But God's relationship to us isn't rooted in our perfection -- it's rooted in God's mercy, poured out on us richly, even when we didn't deserve it.  We've been transformed by the love of God, and since we're now heirs to God's treasure, we should act like we belong in the family into which we've been adopted.  Such behavior, we're told, is excellent and profitable.

  Whenever the Bible is talking about profits, our minds often run to money, but the Bible talks about riches and profits in such greater terms.  To Scripture, profits here are things that last forever -- to reflect God's mercy, to enjoy God's grace, in the here and now is to begin living in the Kingdom of Heaven life now, to start our eternal life now, and that provides joy and security and peace, all riches that money cannot buy.  These profit the soul, and they last forever.  

  So may we devote ourselves to good works, reaping the eternal profits of God's grace today and forevermore.  In the case of God's Kingdom, we get more, way more, than we signed up for -- more than we can ask or imagine, Paul tells us, and we'll be dancing with joy because of it!