19 December | EVERYONE
"Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God." 3 John 1: 11
It is impossible for us to be unscathed by the influences of the culture in which we live. The way people around us think and behave inspires us for good or drags us towards evil. In John's time, there were two people who were opposite in their thinking and conduct. They were Diotrephes and Demetrius. The Bible does not say much about Diotrephes. All we know is that he liked to be the first in everything, to be the boss, and to have the last word. He did not accept other opinions. His voice had to be the final authority. And he did not even respect the apostles, like John. Diotrephes considered himself entitled to say who could or could not visit the church.
Sometimes, we idealize the early church. We think that the brothers of those times were a group of little angels who were ready for heaven. But in reality, they were neither better nor worse than us. They had the same struggles we have today. The struggle for power is not something that only exists in politics, in the military, in companies, in clubs or in the rest of society. As painful as it may seem, it also exists in the church. Evidently, Diotrephes' influence was negative.
On the other hand, there was Demetrius, a good Christian who supported the work of the apostles and exerted a positive influence on the church. It is in this context that John advises Gaius to read what we have read in today's verse. How wise were John’s words!
Take Action
Do you want to belong to God? Wickedness prevents you from seeing Him clearly. It warps your view of things, situations, and people. Follow the good; do not imitate the bad. And be a positive influence wherever you go.