3 John: A Contrast of Two Men

It is said that in death our deeds precede us, but this is equally true in life. You have also heard it said, that people will read the gospel of your life, before they will listen to you tell the Gospel of Jesus. Both of these saying remind us that the things we do, say, and think tell others about who we really are. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that goes, "I can not hear what you are saying because who you are screams too loudly in my ears." We know this to be true. We have a hard time listening to anything that comes out of the mouth of a liar. Even when it is truth, we doubt its validity. The Apostle John writes of two very different men; Gaius and Diotrephes. Notice what John says about Gaius: 3 John 1:1 - 6
1 The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers. 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Gaius was a Christian, and other people knew it by the way he lived his life. Now, notice what John says about Diotrophes:
3 John 1:9 - 11
9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. Diotrephes may have claimed to be a Christian, but his life said otherwise, and people knew it. Both Gaius and Diotrephes were members of the Church, but only one was truly a Christian. Does your life resemble that of Gaius? Or of Diotrephes? I guarantee your family, friends and neighbors could tell you. What would they say? I pray the Lord helps us all to be more like Gaius and less like Diotrephes.