Session 6

Why do what’s right?

From Titus: An 8-Day Devotional

You’ve seen the scenario play out in a movie. One character saves the other from a potential tragedy, and the saved spends the rest of the story serving the savior. Sometimes this plays out in a funny light as the one who did the saving is overwhelmed by the overflow of gratitude. But one thing is sure: The deeds done are not for show, or because it’s the right thing to do, but flow from true awe and thankfulness.

When it comes to your relationship with God, what is the motivation behind your behavior? The Bible clearly calls followers of Jesus to serve people, care for the poor, and keep ourselves from sin. What motivates you to do these things? Do you do the right thing because it’s what you’re supposed to do? Do you do the right thing because people are looking? Or, do you operate like the character in the movie who serves his savior out of thankfulness?

Receiving undeserved grace brings us to a place of true thankfulness.

Titus 2:11-15 beautifully speaks to grace being our motivation for living a righteous life. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope... eager to do what is good.”

Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. It is forgiveness, freely given and poured on us (1 Corinthians 2:12). It asks nothing and is not earned (Ephesians 2:9). When we understand salvation is nothing we can do for ourselves and definitely nothing we deserve, it brings us to a place of true thankfulness for what Jesus did. In this realization, we want to live godly lives pleasing to the one who saved us from death. Just like the character in the movie, we want to spend our lives serving our savior.

Reflect:

• Have you experienced the grace of God, so that you can serve Him out of thankfulness? If not, our Care Team would love to talk to you about salvation. Or, you can find out more about it here.
• Do you do good deeds out of a sense of duty or as an overflow of love for Jesus?
• What is one practical way to daily remind yourself what Jesus has done for you?