Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled.

They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it.   

Titus 1:8-9 CEB

Paul has left Titus on the island of Crete, this is a big island in the Mediterranean that is now part of Greece. 

Titus task it seems is to appoint Elders in communities throughout the island, and Paul gives a bit of a list of things these Elders shouldn't be, and this list of things they should be. 

Maybe there's something here for us in the earlier verses where we can put boundaries around our choices, and perhaps there's something in this list where our boundaries can be extended.

For example, the word for "hospitality" is "philoxenos" which is 2 words, philos, to be a friend, and xenos, to strangers, foreigners, guests. To love those who are not like us. 

These lists are not checklists to tick off, but ideas by which we get to examine our hearts. Hearts that are transformed, shifted, shaped by the gospel of Grace, the Love of Jesus, that sees and loves those not like us through that lens. 

Is there an opportunity to be philoxenos today?

To be kind to someone we don't know or don't know well?

To see our classmate, patient, client, colleague, team mate, the salesperson, the bus driver, our teacher, boss, through the lens of Grace?

#titus

#invitation 

#graceandlove

#philoxenos