DEFINED BY OUR DEEDS

Titus 1:1-16

What strikes me about the first chapter of Titus is that it paints a portrait of the ideal ‘pastor’, which is everything I am not. Paul sums up the character of the rebellious up in verse 16; “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him.”

When I think of that, I recall a line from the movie Batman Begins—something the character Rachel Dawes says to Bruce Wayne; “It’s not who you are inside, but what you do that defines you.” We are defined by our deeds. Bruce had many dreams and intentions to stem the corruption in Gotham, and he harboured a passionate hatred for the evildoers in the city. But until he donned the mask and cape of his alter ego, he was merely building castles in the air.

A good person (vv. 6-9) is defined and characterised by his or her deeds, and by our deeds we are either ‘above reproach as God’s steward’ (v. 7) or else ‘worthless for any good deed’ (v. 16). Every moment is a moment either of action or inaction, and the choice to do good or evil is ours.

Reflection:

Jesus said that those who live by the truth are not afraid of the light, because their deeds are good and have been done through God (John 3:21). Is this true of us?

Action:

List, at random, ten deeds you have done over the past week. What kind of picture does it paint of you? If a complete stranger were to look at that list, what kind of person would he/she think you are?