Trust and obey, for there’s no other way . . .

This morning, an exhortation in Titus has me wondering what the world would be like if the church were simply to trust and obey. But I’m also noodling on the fact that, at least in some matters, it’s impossible to obey unless we trust. This morning’s case in point? Perfect courtesy to all people.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

(Titus 3:1-3 ESV)

Paul’s instructing Titus on how to teach his church (Tit. 2:1). A lot of “to do’s” and “to be’s” in these last couple of chapters. One in particular has got me thinking. Show perfect courtesy toward all people.

I tend to be wary of all-encompassing words like “perfect”. Tend to be skeptical of all-inclusive terms like “all”. Are those words used to really say what they seem to say, or are they used as just altruistic hyperbole in order to get our attention by setting a stretch-goal no one really believes is achievable with the hope that it will evoke some level of effort resulting in some degree of obedience which would be something better than nothing? Is that how it’s intended? I’m guessing not. I don’t think God’s word works that way.

So, when it says show perfect courtesy toward all people, I’m guessing that’s really what it means. And that’s what got me thinking and why I’m chewing on what it would like for the church to really live out perfect courtesy toward all people.

The word the ESV translates courtesy is the word for gentleness, mildness, or meekness — as in the fruit of the Spirit is gentleness (Gal. 5:23). So, we’re to show all meekness to all men.

Note too the charge is made in the context of the instructions to speak evil of no one and to avoid quarreling. Hmm . . . Speaking evil of others . . . quarreling . . . sounds remarkably like our current cultural moment. So, do you understand why I’m trying to imagine what it would like if we as the church simply purposed, by God’s enabling grace, to trust and obey?

What would it look like if our engagement in what’s often referred to as “the culture wars” was marked by an absence of slander and a refusal to verbally brawl, but instead marked by showing perfect courtesy to all people? Perfect courtesy, as in authentic gentleness and real humility. Toward all people — yeah, “all” as in “all” people. Those on our side and those on the other. Those who embrace our platform and those who embrace another platform. Those who fit nicely into our echo chambers and those who just create an irritating dissonance. Not that we don’t contend for truth, we just don’t do it by trashing others — any others, and all others — who are blind to the truth. And how come? For we ourselves were once foolish . . .

Avoid quarreling . . . Kind of hard in a culture so defined by, and used to quarreling. Kind of hard but kind of what the Spirit says is the right thing to do. So trust and obey.

Show perfect courtesy toward all people . . . Easy? Nope. Necessary? I’m thinkin’ . . .

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.