Scripture

I would have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Observation

John is writing to a man called Gaius, who he hopes is well in spirit and in body. Some of John’s travelling teachers returned and told John how Gaius is living faithfully to the Lord.

John asks Gaius to continue supporting such itinerant ministers because they are serving the Lord.

Diotrophes opposes these teachers and tells others not to support them. When they do help, he expels them from the church.

Application

Any pastor recognises the reflection of John that we have no greater joy than hearing our spiritual children are “following the truth.”

John uses this phrase to mean that they are walking with the Lord and refusing to be swayed by the false teachers and the heretics. There is clearly a problem with people such as Diotrophes who resists the itinerant teachers who are faithful to the gospel. In 2 John, John calls the false teachers antichrists. It seems that Diotrophes had been influenced by such people.

In the midst of all this, John is blessed to know that some people, such as Gaius and Demetrius, are standing firm and prospering both spiritually and physically.

When I think of people whom I have mentored over many years, it gives me great joy to seeing them moving onward in the Lord. It means that the church of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ are growing in influence across the generations.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for those people who are faithful to you and who seek to serve you in their work, in the church, and in their families. May they continue to thrive in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.