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The Mark of a Real Man

¹ Titus, you focus on teaching people how to ride for the brand, not just talk about the brand. ² Teach the older cowboys how to control their temper, be respectable in all ways, and to live wisely. Their faith needs to be sound. A faith is lame without patience and love.

³ Likewise, show the older ladies how to live a life that is honorable toward God. Their tongues shouldn't wag and they need to lay off the sauce. Instead, they should be helping each other know what is right and good. ⁴ These older ladies should be an example to the younger ones. They need to show them how to love their husbands and their kids. ⁵ They should teach them how to be wise and live without a cause for blame. Other things they should teach them are to keep busy in their homes, do good things, and to trust their husbands and take care of them as the husbands are taking care of them. This is the way God wants it and it will keep them from any shame.

⁶ And we ain't done yet! Teach them younger cowboys to be responsible and wise. ⁷ You be the example for them by doing good things and riding like God told you to. Let every action show integrity and strength that will back up your good teaching. ⁸ Teach nothing except the truth and then, even when you are criticized, your critics won't have a leg to stand on. They'll end up making fools of themselves when they fall.

⁹ Day hands must do what their boss tells them to do whether they like it or not. They shouldn't talk back or mumble under their breath when given something to do. ¹⁰ Tell them not to steal and instead show themselves completely trustworthy. This will make more of an impression for God on others than blowing up and acting like a tough guy.

¹¹ God didn't give us what we deserved, but showed his grace by allowing anyone to be able to come and ride for his brand. ¹² We do this by turning away from sinful pleasures and living a life worthy of the gift God gave us. Sure, we ride through sorry pastures, but we can do so with wisdom, right living, and obedience to the Boss. ¹³ We all keep one eye on the horizon as we wait for our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, to come riding back over the hill to get us. ¹⁴ He died so that we could be freed from the hobbles of sin, be cleansed from the rankness that permeated our lives, and to make us cowboys of his very own, totally committed to riding for him and gathering the lost and bringing back those who've strayed away.

¹⁵ Teach these things! Pat them on the back when they do good and don't be afraid of chewing someone's butt for not doing what they are supposed to. Don't let anyone talk down to you as you try to raise them up right.