3 John Chapter 1: verses 3-5 (NIV)
It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you.
John writes to his friend Gaius, to say how encouraged he had been to hear of Gaius’ practical outworking of his faith and obedience to God. Gaius was not doing anything for show, and it was clear that all he did was out of a sincere heart and obedience to God. He would not have known the impact, both on those who he looked after, and also to John, that his actions made. His motives were right and proper, unlike his acquaintance, Diotrephes, referred to further on in this chapter, whose primary goal it seemed, was to be the top dog.
God sees our hearts and knows our motives and we need to conduct ourselves, both towards those we know, and those we don’t as if we were dealing with Christ himself. We might think it doesn’t matter, especially if we are dealing with people who are strangers to us, but we don’t know whether a report on our behaviour may find its way back to someone we do know. Then would we feel embarrassed or ashamed? Did Jesus Himself not say, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke Chapter 6: Verse 31) And He will certainly notice, even if no one else does!
Dear Lord,
Help me to treat others as I want to be treated and to remember that its also been said we may be treating angels unaware. May I conduct myself in a way that reflects you rather than me. AMEN.