Titus 2 - Teach the Men

The best teachers are experienced in what they teach.  And they actively lead by example.  That is true in the legal practice.  In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, I worked for a firm called BDP in Calgary.  On our securities and tax floor of the firm (I think we had just over a hundred lawyers; we covered the gamut but were primarily energy-focused) we had several old bucks that led by example.  They gave us a tremendous amount of leeway to advise clients on our own.  But their doors were always open.

        I remember one file where we had a dot com millionaire who had stashed a ton of dough offshore and was fighting with the Canada Revenue Agency.  He eventually had most of his Canadian assets seized.  He would later go through bankruptcy at least twice.  A real gem.  He hated lawyers, and he hated taking advice.  But he loved to fly on his private jet and he was constantly raising capital for the next scheme.  Usually, those are great clients for a securities firm.  However, this young entrepreneur thumbed his nose at following the rules and was a real character.  I quickly tired of his antics and went down the hallway to talk about him with an old lawyer named Al (he was probably not much older than I am now).  He gave me good advice.  He said to always act with integrity.  To advise the client with good legal advice - and if necessary to fire the client - the firm did not need him as a client.  He totally left it to me as to what to do.  I fired the client.  Afterward, Al took me for coffee and asked me how I felt.  I said relieved and thankful that one of the other big firms in town would be gaining the difficult client.  He said one of the best feelings a lawyer could have was a clean conscience.  A group of those OG lawyers took us, young guys, for coffee almost every morning.  I loved those walks and talks down through the mall.

        On active M&A files (my primary area at the time) I worked for a senior partner named Grant who was probably the most experienced and well-regarded securities lawyer in the Province.  I loved working with him.  He wasn’t a touchy-feely guy.  It was all business all the time.  About two weeks after joining the firm he popped his head into my office.  He asked matter of factly if it was ok if he gave me a $20k raise.  I said that would be great.  He said good and marched on down the hall.

        On big files (believe it or not, we did several billion-dollar deals back in those days as capital was pouring into Alberta - pre-NDP obviously) Grant would staff the file with a good mix of junior, mid, and senior lawyers.  He’d announce a new deal by popping his head into your office and saying something like “Li Ka-shing [an Asian investor who owned a local company called Husky Energy] has agreed to buy Renaissance Energy [our client with operations focused in Saskachewan and Alberta] for $1 billion - let’s meet in the boardroom in fifteen” - then he’d close the door and hustle on his way down the hallway.

        Grant usually took the hardest aspect of the file for himself.  Working with Grant was the best team experience I've had in my professional career.  We all had important aspects of the deal to do.  He showed us how to work and he appreciated hard work, thoughtful ideas, and intentional preparation.  Grant was extremely generous with billing - in those days we premiumed most securities files.  Most senior partners would keep the premiums themselves - not Grant - he shared the extra revenue allocation with all members of his team.  I probably should have stayed with that firm.  That’s a story for another day.  I made the decision to exit the 2,500 hour - seven day a week schedule, and to focus on our young family.  Anyway, thank God for good leaders.  Those who work hard, teach well and lead by example.  Leaders like Al and Grant.

For the Christ follower, the disciple of Jesus, the leadership stakes are high.  Much higher than practicing securities law and helping companies get listed on stock exchanges.  Don't get me wrong, that's good stuff.  But the Christian leader - even in the mix of that tax and securities floor needs to be ever mindful of the end game.

        For the Christian leader, the consequences are high.  It is about life or death.  Eternal life.  We are ever mindful of the responsibility to teach and train well and to set high standards and expectations.  We know that this life is fleeting, wasting away.  As is this earth (it will be replaced with a new earth when Jesus returns (2 Peter 3)).  The Christian leader loves deeply and trusts God - for we know that God doesn’t make mistakes and he cannot lie.  We raise up others to excel and to exceed our accomplishments because that is what Jesus teaches us to do.  Like Paul, we mentor.

Every Christian is an educator.  That is, we have a God-given responsibility to teach the truth.  First, we must know the truth of Jesus Christ.  Then we must live the truth.  The truth shows us how to live godly lives.  With God, knowing and fearing the One True God gives us humble confidence.  

I’ve been thinking about this section of Scripture (2:2).  If we as the OGs are supposed to exemplify self-control then let’s do that.  Let’s read books on self-control and increase our self-control.  Let's show by our actions that we take responsibility seriously.

We need the men of the church to reflect Titus-like behavior.  Thank God for those who stand up for righteousness.  Men like “Ahikam son of Shaphan [who] stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn him over to the mob to be killed”(Jeremiah 26:24).  What we often see today are men who don’t lead their families well.  They are not worthy to lead because they have no self-control.  Like the people of Crete in Titus 1, they are liars, gluttons, lazy, and lacking integrity.  Comfortable men.  They talk a good game.  But when someone stands up to the mob - the greedy elite who won’t lift a finger to help people - where are they?  They are cowards.  They quickly make up justifications as to why there is little they can do.

        May God richly bless those who stand against evil - and those who stand with brave men and women who take a stand for righteousness against the mob.

As OGs, we know that every person (young, old, male, female) must continue to grow in Christ.  It is our responsibility to help people do just that.  It is a lifelong process.  The race is not finished until Jesus says it is finished.

Older men, be wise and just.  Learn from God's Scriptures - learn from the Law of Christ.  Learn from good, honest, genuine men.  Teachers.  Examples.  Believe in Jesus Christ - and grow in Him.

Show those who oppose us where they are wrong!

Lord Jesus, please help us older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely.  Lord Jesus, please teach me.  Please help me to understand who You are and to fear you and love you and know you.  And please help us all to be filled with good advice, love, and patience.  Thank you, Lord God.  Amen.

Traveling with Sam (Barcelona) a few years back.