A man named Titus Justus

Paul and Titus

Paul must have been pretty angry to shake out his garments and give up on the Jews in Corinth.  But look!  Just a few lines later, we read that the ruler of the synagogue and his whole family were converted, forming the foundation of the Corinthian church.  How on earth did that happen?  A man named Titus.

Titus was living a life that bridged two worlds.  He was a Gentile, but he practiced Jewish customs and worshiped God.  Despite all the opposition Paul had received, Titus offered him a place to stay and his house just happened to be right next door to the synagogue!

Titus opened his door

Coincidence?  Probably not.  God positioned Titus between two groups of people, and when Titus opened his door to Paul, he opened the door to an entire community of believers.  Paul’s proximity to the synagogue and his friendship with Titus undoubtedly gave him numerous opportunities to share the gospel with the Jews who worshiped right next door to him.  And it worked!  From Paul’s later writing, we know that a number of Jews ended up joining the Corinthian church.

Maybe your life does not bridge two worlds as obviously as Titus’ did.  Still, think about the groups of people you interact with.  Think about your family, your job, your neighborhood, your church, the gym, or your school.  Have you ever thought about God might have positioned you just perfectly in the midst of all these people to be a door opener for the gospel?

Be Titus like today

Today, take some time to think about one of the groups your are linked to.  Is there someone in that group who you think might be open to hearing more about your relationship with the Lord?  Maybe meet that person for coffee or invite him or her to dinner.  If you just aim for building up your relationship with someone, the opportunities to share will surely arise on their own.  You do not have to force anything, and you do not have to create an awkward situation.  Just relax and be a friend.  Remember Titus.  He simply invited Paul to stay with him.  Even a small act of hospitality can do wonders!

word among us