ODJ: teaching lines

August 7, 2015 

READ: Titus 2:1-15 

Encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example . . . . Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching (vv.6-7).

I overheard my 11 year old son telling his grandmother about one of his classes at school. “On our first day of Studio Art,” he said, “our teacher told us to draw self-portraits. Mine was bad. Everyone’s was bad. The next day she taught us how to use lines, and everyone’s self-portraits improved.”

I took away two things from his words: firstly, teachers play an essential role in helping us learn and develop talents. Secondly, using the appropriate tools helps us to line things up correctly (the eyes, nose and mouth in a self-portrait!) and do what’s best.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul—a teacher and church leader—gave his protégé Titus a list of things he and other leaders should do and teach to other church members:

• “Promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching” (Titus 2:1).

• “Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect and to live wisely.” They are also to “have sound faith and be filled with love and patience” (v.2).

• “Teach the older women to live in a way that honours God”, “not slander others or be heavy drinkers” and to “teach others what is good” (v.3).

• “Train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure” (vv.4-5).

• “Encourage the young men to live wisely” (v.6).

• “Be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching” (v.7).

——Roxanne Robbins

365-day-plan: Luke 12:49-59