October 14th, 2018
Titus 3:1-7
Sometimes scripture is obscure, full of levels and layers and complications. Sometimes it isn’t.
And this is one of those times when it isn’t.
We are “to slander no one,” St. Paul says to Titus. We are “to be peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone.”
Graciousness to “everyone,” not just to the people who belong to our church, not just to the people who are citizens of our country or whose skin is the same color as ours, not just to the people of our own political party.
Everyone.
Slandering “no one”–not even the people we don’t like, not even the people we don’t respect, not even the people we don’t understand.
No one.
On Facebook, in letters to the editor, in public debate, in private conversation, in our own thoughts and prayers: we must be “peaceable.” We must be “considerate.”
If we’re not, we have to stop and really think about ourselves.
If we’re not, we really can’t call ourselves Christians.