Good Deeds

Good Morning,

Titus 3:14 (NIV)
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
Titus 3:14 (NASB)
Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.
Titus 3:14 (AMP)
And let our own [people really] learn to apply themselves to good deeds (to honest labor and honorable employment), so that they may be able to meet necessary demands whenever the occasion may require and not be living idle and uncultivated and unfruitful lives.

I've included three translations of this verse because, although they really say the same thing...more or less..., I think that the way that the ideas are presented are equally important. Well, and I must admit that I look at the Amplified Bible a lot because it sometimes "fills in" thoughts and concepts in a way that I more fully understand. Anyway.................

Paul is writing to Titus and in this letter he is stressing that the people who Titus is teaching understand that they must "devote themselves to doing what is good," "learn to engage in good deeds," "apply themselves to good deeds." The reasons for this may be pretty much self evident, but Paul gives for his reasons...so that they will "not live unproductive lives," "will not be unfruitful," "not be living idle and uncultivated and unfruitful lives."

Now we can see this as a marvelous idea even if applied to our secular, everyday lives. I mean, it's obvious that people need to do good work so that their necessities will be provided through their work. That pretty much goes without saying, I suppose. But, It seems to me that what Paul is ALSO saying (because, of course, he was an extremely practical man when speaking of living productive lives) was that those people must also be doing "good deeds" in their religious, spiritual lives as well. And, as God does in the Bible, these sentiments have come down to us in this 21st century and apply just as much now as they did then.

God is telling all ages throughout time that we are to do good, both in the secular realm of the world and in our spiritual lives. We are to do good deeds to help out those in physical need. We are also to engage in doing good when it comes to people's spiritual needs. I guess, when it comes down to it, the two sort of go hand in hand, don't they? I mean, if we're doing "good deeds" in the community with a loving heart that has been touched by the Holy Spirit guiding us to "good deeds" well, that also lets us do spiritual "good deeds" at the same time. Often, those spiritual "good deeds" don't even need to be verbalized. They show themselves simply as an outpouring of the love we have in our hearts...the love of Jesus Christ.

Such a marvelous verse of Scripture. Yes, we are to help to "provide for daily necessities" which most would think of as simply food, clothing, and shelter. But, we are also to "provide for daily necessities" in the spiritual lives of those around us. Let's never forget that when we do the one, we are also doing the other...if we're there with the right heart and sentiment.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David