I sometimes need to be reminded of where I came from. There was a time when I was not a pastor, or even a believer. Even now, I remain imperfect. I was once someone deeply in need of grace because I did not have it. My life with Christ did not begin until I was twenty one years old.

During that time, I was trying to fill a void with good works in order to please God, rather than allowing God the pleasure of filling the void in my life with His grace and mercy. Grace and mercy are what lead us to good works, yet I had everything completely backward.

Paul reminds us in Titus chapter three that we were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Yet by God’s mercy, we are saved through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Our salvation is not produced by what we have accomplished, but by God’s great love for us. Every believer begins this way. When we see others acting foolishly, we must remember that we were once there as well, and prayerfully desire that they too would receive the mercy of God.

Paul concludes Titus by instructing believers to devote themselves to good works in order to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. This reinforces what he teaches earlier, that God’s mercy leads our lives and produces good fruit. These good works clearly show whom we belong to and demonstrate to the lost that it is good to follow Christ.

Let us be faithful examples to those around us who have not yet experienced the grace and mercy we enjoy, remembering that true change only happens when God is allowed to express His kindness to them, just as He has so graciously done for us.