Ambassadors for Christ
Timothy and Titus were Apostle Paul’s contemporaries, and one could say: Paul’s co-workers, working alongside him, firstly allowing themselves to be touched by the Gospel message, and then attempting to bring other hearts into the Christian fold as well.
Their sense love of Christ and mission united and sustained them in their work and their friendship, often amidst troubling circumstances. Timothy and Titus show us the virtue of their faith and dedication, and provide us with a timeless reminder that when one is truly touched by the Gospel message, he/she then becomes its ambassador.
What do we look for in our Christian leaders? Wisdom? Courage? Personal example? Probably all of these qualities and perhaps more.
Despite Timothy’s apparent youthfulness and a timid character (ex. 1 Timothy 4:12a), he displayed an apostolic zeal, going on some difficult missions to local churches struggling with doctrinal deviations and divisions. We learn of Timothy’s tremendous courage of character, especially during his time in prison and his eventual death.
Titus, was more than a fellow missionary of Paul, he was a close friend. Not only was he a great administrator of the Christian community in his charge, he drew people close to him through his kindness and his personal witness to the love of Christ. In fact, Paul placed a great trust in Titus and assigned to him the task of mediating peace within the church in Corinth.
These saints that we celebrate invite us also to help spread the Gospel of Christ in the places wherever we find ourselves. Perhaps our context and circumstances are different today, but being a sincere Christian witness is not any less important today than it was in their days.
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy…..so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)”
-Natalia Kononenko, Editor of Living with Christ
