Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
3 John NIV
1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 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. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 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. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
How can you reflect on Gaius’ desire to be of help to itinerant Christian workers?
Thank You for Gaius’ example. Gaius was a tremendous witness and testimony to love and to truth. The pastors, evangelists, teachers, and preachers would travel around and visit the churches. They weren’t wealthy and couldn’t afford to stay in the local inns so they would stay in the homes of the believers. To help these missionary itinerants on their way, he honored You, was a testimony to the lost, was obedient to Your Word, and it accelerated world evangelization. He was generous to all the church, all these ministers, evangelists, preachers, and teachers who came – even strangers, he didn’t know some of them! He knew they were the Lord’s, that’s what mattered – but how generous he was! Christian love in Gaius was exemplified practically. Gaius not only opened his home to the itinerant Christian workers but he was not intimidated by the threats of Diotrephes. Every Christian life is a witness. The big question is whether my witness is a good one or a bad one. Either I’m helping the truth or hindering the truth. Help me to not just hold the truth but be held by the truth. Let me fight against falsehood not just by my words, but also by the witness of what I do. Help me to realize that as I sacrifice to serve others, I am doing it for You. If I minister to others in Your name, I am also ministering to You. Lord, I ask for Your help in growing me to be spiritually healthy to manifest Your power and energy in a spiritual sense to others. Let me be openly hospitable and evangelically generous. Let me stand up for Your truth. Help me to be conscious of my witness for You in everything that I do. Train me to be like Gaius. Amen