My heart has been grieved the last few days for a good friend of ours and some decisions he is making. It’s one of those things where I want to slap him a few times and get his attention. (Sorry, just keepin’ it real.) So, I was reading again in Titus 2. (I am kind of camped out there right now. The Lord is really teaching me some things I need to hear. ) Verse 6 begins talking about young men (12 years old and up) it says;
“Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded (sensible), in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”
How great is our God? Exhort the young men to be sensible. That is so much of what they need! To learn to be sensible!
I have really struggled with this thought of “exhorting” other people. Our society tells us that we need to mind our own business. We should only ever offer advice or opinions when we are asked. I am afraid that this thought has kept me from encouraging others. I certainly don’t have all the answers, so I have no right to exhort others. But as I read through Titus, I see that Paul is encouraging us to live lives that are examples (Titus 2:7-8), but with that comes exhortation. The definition of exhort is:
to urge, advise, or caution earnestly; admonish urgently.
To urge, advise or caution earnestly. Ok, so let’s see what the definition of earnestly is…
1. serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous: an earnest worker
2. showing depth and sincerity of feeling: earnest words; an earnest entreaty
3. seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.
Hmm so with depth and sincerity of feeling we are to urge, advise, or caution these young men to be sensible. So when do we stop? When is it enough? What do you do when people don’t take to heart your earnest council? Keep on? Continue to live an example and continue to exhort them? It is so frustrating to see people ask your advice, agree that it is what they should do, and then watch them walk in the opposite direction. Hubby and I were discussing this last night at dinner. He feels that same frustration with several of the “young men” in our lives. He told me that he feels like, “I’ve told them what I think, and I’ve told them what the Bible says, and now I’m done. I’m not going to waste my time anymore.” But after sharing with him what I had been learning from Titus 2, he agreed that there isn’t any instruction here about when you stop exhorting others. In fact Titus 2:15 says
“Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority.”
It doesn’t say do it once, or exhort them 4 times and you’re done, it just says speak, exhort, rebuke. And so, I will continue to exhort those younger Christians around me, and pray that God will give me the strength of heart to continue, and the “sincerity of feeling”, in order to glorify Him.