Titus 2:9-10 (ESV) Bondservantsare to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Titus 2:10 (KJV) Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

The word fidelity appears only once in the KJV and not at all in the ESV. In our minds, are good faith and fidelity the same thing? While the KJV is an archaic language it carries a heavy burden of intention which might escape some of us reading other versions. Infidelity is such a heavy word with serious relational undertones not shared by simply saying good faith.

Secular wisdom, common among many of us, defines infidelity as the action or state of being unfaithful to a spouse. It is cheating in a broader sense when the context is being a servant. Do we see this in respect to Jesus Christ being our Lord as our betrothed? Do we see our unfaithfulness in small things as cheating on our Lord? I doubt it seriously.

Galatians 4:18 (ESV) It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you,

Galatians 4:18 (KJV) But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

Here again the KJV uses harsher language and in this I admit I see the need within myself to hear a sharper tongue which reminds me of my commitment to my Lord. Not all enjoy harsh reminders and yet some do. Do we need strong reminders? Are we being faithful to our Lord in small matters? Do we not look to see if those small matters mean anything to us?

Is our faith weak or little?

Psalm 40:5 (ESV)

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
    yet they are more than can be told.

I believe this to be true because I have seen it in my life. Deeds are one thing but thoughts are another. I know for a fact the miracles that have been prominent in my life. I can speak from experience. I can speak about the thoughts but in the telling, my testimony, there will always be those that say it is all in my head. It is easier to believe Isaiah.

Isaiah 55:8 (ESV) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

What we know for sure about God’s thoughts is that they are written plainly in the bible and if it isn’t in the bible then we have a right to resist the notion that God has anything new to say. I have to ask this in all sincerity, what kind of a relationship exist without sharing our thoughts with another? We are in a covenant relationship with God and we have a responsibility to listen as much as to talk.

John 14:26 (ESV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

To remember a word you must have read it first and put it away to be recalled at a future time. So often while I am reading the Word something within me stirs up the memory of other passages. It is up to me to seek those words and discover if those words have relevant meaning. They would not be able to be called into memory if I did not first read His Word. Secondly I must have the mindset to be willing to receive that remembrance. A busy mind does not listen.