A Father’s Greatest Joy

The Apostle John was inspired to write this third epistle to Gaius. Back then every church received a copy of the Word. That Word is here with us as well. John was very old, possibly 100; he may have very well been the oldest Christian living for all the other apostles were dead. In verse 4 he said "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth."

That is a parent's greatest joy. You want your children to be safe. Your greatest worry is for their welfare. It continues even when they grow up. It never ends. You don't want them to fall into deception; you want them to have a sound character and make the right choices. To see it so gives you joy.

John had seen all the pitfalls of life. He was concerned. God is concerned about us. This causes me to think about our heavenly Father. There will be no greater joy to God than for me to do the right thing. He desires the best for me. He wants our walk and living on earth to be in truth. We shouldn't be self-reliant like Samson. We are not to be foolish. The devil is after us and wants us to walk after him and not the truth. A good parent teaches right from wrong and real from fake. A foundation has been built within us, the foundation of truth. As children of God we have truth planted in our heart (v.3). Be thankful for that. Look to it. Many voices speak to us, but the voice of truth is planted in us by the sower of truth. We have no excuse for saying we cannot live right because that truth is in us. It pleases God when we walk in it.

Verse 11 says we have the ability to discern good and evil. We can choose to follow either. We know both. Things may be accepted by the world that are wrong; we may get so familiar with them that we let down our guard. Our mind might get muddled. But in Gods eyes right is still right and right won't change. Separate the evil from the good. Throw the evil away. People aren't culling today. We make bad what is good. We cannot take what is sin and call it good.

Verse 5 says whatever we do be true to it. Be faithful in our walk with God. Be like a Christian. Give 110%. Jesus gave His all. There is always more we can give to God.

Verse 8 reminds us not that we are not separate and apart from others. We are not alone. We are one with each other in Christ. We all struggle. The devil is our adversary and we need each other to hold onto and God holds it all. The Bible says a three-fold chord is not easily broken. Be a fellow helper in the truth. Carry each other and let God carry us all. We can succeed with truth every day because we have Jesus. Don't get discouraged. We have each other.

In verse 12 John said Demetrius had a good report of the Truth. John knew him. The word was that he was faithful, of good report concerning the Truth. When God looks down on us will He see a good report? Meeting God is a scary thing. Do we walk for others to see? God keeps the record. Have we been faithful to the truth? It is possible for all of us to do that? Yes we can.

Can we make God happy? Can we give Him joy? It depends on what we do with the truth. Let's recommit ourself to walking in truth and be what God wants us to be.