What do earrings and good works have in common?
In his pastoral letter to his protégé Titus, at least five times Paul stresses the importance of “good works,” that it is for this purpose that we were saved.
He says that the reason for this is that we might “adorn the gospel.”
To adorn something is, of course, to dress it up, to add to it something external that highlights its beauty. An earring does not affect the nature of an ear or change its essence, but it “adorns” it, drawing attention to what is already there. Too gaudy an adornment and it will distract. Too pale, and it will diminish.
Let us work to show the Gospel in the best light possible with both our best words, and best works as well.
