The book of Titus is one of the books in the New Testament that isn’t talked about a lot. While short in content, it’s a very informative and powerful book written by the Apostle Paul to Titus, a faithful disciple, a missionary, and the first pastor on the island of Crete. Paul addressed the challenges Titus faced as a young pastor, an overseer of the churches on the island. The nature of the island of Crete was described in Titus 1:10-12, 16:

For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons…” Such people claim they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

Some might say it sounds a little bit like life today.

Obviously, Titus was spiritually and emotionally strong. He must have been a proven man who was noble, one who loved God and led a Christ-like life. He had to have an enduring testimony for Paul to trust him to take on such a hot mess! He was a man of godly character and loved his fellow man. How else could anyone take on such an assignment and not only embrace it, but be successful with it? Through God is the only way we can stay strong in our challenges of life and in successfully fulfilling His task that we are divinely assigned.

Paul counseled Titus to take on this missionary effort:

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God…He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.                                                                                                      Titus 2:11-12, 14

What great counsel Paul gave Titus to proclaim to the people of Crete. And, what great counsel for each of us to live by!

The takeaway in Titus could simply be this: Do we live by the same counsel that Paul gave Titus? Do we have the same zeal, enthusiasm, or passion to embrace our godly assignment of being missionaries in our day-to-day lives as Titus did? Are we excited to share the Gospel with eagerness, fervor, and love?

We never know who is ready to hear the Good News. Thank our God in heaven that someone shared it with us!