Faithfulness, Deceit, Good Report (3 John)
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4)
I have two children who are currently 8 and 12 years old. Both of them have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and those were great days when I heard the good news! As they continue to grow older, I get to watch them grow in their faith. Yes, they do struggle at times, but deep down, they want to do the right thing. They want to obey God. As they continue to grow and enter different stages of life, my wife and I keep praying that they will shine God’s light wherever they are and whoever they are with, so that God would be glorified and honored. And just like John, nothing would please me more than to see them grow to become adults who have a desire to honor God in everything that they think, say, and do.
When John the apostle begins this short letter, he is writing to Gaius who is no doubt a godly man. He loves the church and is willing to support those who follow God. It is interesting to note that John applauds these brothers in Christ who are doing His will for His name and not receiving any help from those who do not believe in God. This is in direct contrast to the next man that John mentions: Diotrephes.
Diotrephes, on the other hand, wanted all of the attention. His selfishness is so overpowering that he even kicks people out of the church who try to help other believers. How can that be? Did I even read that correctly? Unfortunately, selfish pride is all too common in many Christians in this day and age. With the ease of posting ourselves on social media sites, it is extremely difficult to remain humble while also seeing how many “hits” or “likes” we get. It can be easy to be like Diotrephes in any area of service. Whether we sing, teach, play an instrument, decorate, or even wash dishes, we can get caught up in what we are “doing for the Lord” when in reality, we are just doing these things so others can see just how great we are.
Think about the legacy that Diotrephes left behind. In two verses, we learn that he is the final authority in all situations, and if somebody does something that he does not agree with, he just dismisses them. Do not be like Diotrephes. Even though he was probably a very gifted leader, he did not use his gift in a way that glorified and honored God.
In contrast, the third person that John mentions left behind a positive legacy, one that we should strive for. In one verse, we learn that Demetrius had a good reputation because he did what was good. We do not know much more about him, but is that not the point? He was focused on God and not himself.
So, which person are you like? Are you like Gaius who cares and provides for other believers? Are you like Demetrius who is known for his godly deeds? Or are you like Diotrephes who pretends to serve God but in reality your desire is for everyone to serve you? Answer this question honestly and then make the necessary changes in your life and start living to serve God and God alone.
Pastor David Guenin