Titus 2: 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke
with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
It's amazing to find 'encourage and rebuke' in the same sentence. Usually, they
are complete opposites and don't have anything to do with one another. If we
were to hear the same words today in a sentence, it would probably read
"encourage them for their gifts, don't rebuke them for their faults."
I played field hockey for my Senior High team. It was the nearest sport in
school that allowed participants to carry weapons. If ever you've been clobbered
with a hockey stick, or whacked in the head with one, you'll know how fierce the
game can be. I played every Saturday morning and ended up being the captain
because I was the highest goal scorer in the league.
Well, success went to my head and I put together a proposal to display all the
players names on a board, rating each of them with one to five stars for every
game that was played. I went to the coach with my idea and he shot it down in
flames. Firstly, he knew that I wanted to give myself five stars for every game,
but more importantly, he didn't want to discourage the other players if they had
a bad game. That's when he said that line to me, which I've remembered.
"Encourage the other players for their gifts, John; don't rebuke them for their
faults."
So, why does Paul put both those words in the same sentence? Because the church
has the power to encourage people in faith, and the responsibility to rebuke or
re-direct them when they go wrong. We all like encouragement, praise, and
recognition for what we do in church, but sometimes we also need to be made
aware of God's disapproval for the sinful things we do inside and outside of the
church. It's a hard lesson to learn at times, but it's necessary that we all go
through it, in order to keep us on the right road that leads us to eternal life.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we love the ways in which You embrace our ideas, enthusiasm,
and excitement for our church. We take great encouragement from the blessings
You bestow, and the goodness that You give us. However, sometimes we allow
pride, prejudice, greed, and anger to diminish our faith and even destroy our
personal witness of You. In those times, rebuke and redirect us, reprove and
restore us by Your mercy and grace. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart traqair@aol.com
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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