SCRIPTURE:
“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”
3 John 1:11
OBSERVATION:
John gives simple instructions – imitate what is good, for what is good is from God. He gives an example of the type of person to follow in Gaius (Verses 5-8), and an example not to follow in Diotrephes (Verse 9). The former being faithful and loving, while the latter being self-serving and unwelcoming.
APPLICATION:
The directive is simple – Follow what is good, not what is evil. To say that is easy, but sometimes it’s hard to do. Looking back on my life, I realize that one of THE biggest reasons why this was difficult for me, was because of the people I was around.
The Apostle Paul said it this way:
“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33
There was a point in my walk with the Lord that I had to take a close look at the people around me. I was on a journey of growth and getting closer to HIM, but there were still some friends of mine that were trying to pull me in the wrong direction.
The one question I had to ask myself that changed everything was this – Is this person steering me back to God’s best in my life or not?
It was a time of pruning that The Lord had to do, so that more fruitfulness could occur. While it was difficult, it was one of the best decisions I had ever made for my growth as a follower of Jesus. It’s a question that I still ask myself to this very day, and one that has continually helped me grow more and more into who I was created to be.
PRAYER:
Father Almighty. Forgive me Lord for times I have chosen poorly. Thank You Lord for Your Word that continues to guide me. May I choose to imitate what is good, this I pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
