What a crew the people of Crete must have been. If you have to tell the older women to quit getting drunk that can only mean that they were doing it. That’s not an image I want in my head, or in my family tree for that matter.
Wholesomeness is the key word here. Maybe our lives aren’t spotted by the same things that plagued the Cretan’s, but I think we can all agree that there are areas in which we can become more “wholesome” in our thoughts and actions. Grandma may not drink too much…but what about anger, bitterness, self-control, gossip, etc.? There are lots of ways that we can apply this chapter to our own lives.
The point is that you and I are to be a good example to the rest of the world. That means loving when we are hated, and returning kindness and compassion for anger or unethical behavior. That is absolutely not easy, and probably only possible with the ongoing help of the Holy Spirit, but with His help, all things are possible.
So whether you are old or young, male or female, slave or free… remember the words that Paul offers to Titus at the end of this chapter. “Christ died to free us from every kind of sin…..so we should be totally committed to doing every kind of good deed”.
In His service,
PR