3 John 3 --- For I was overjoyed when brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.
Today's journey took us to truth and more truth. This is an important subject and John has no hesitation to repeat what is important. There was also an unexpected turn as well! It's always exciting walking with the Lord through His Word!
We find some Christian brothers who had been traveling around come to John and tell him of Gaius' conduct. One thing that really jumped out though is it doesn't just say they "told" him; it says they "testified".
Testified in the Greek is martyreō and means: to be a witness, to affirm one has seen or heard or experienced something; to give (not keep back) testimony.
So, these traveling followers of Jesus, gave testimony of their experience with Gaius. Not the gossip they picked up at the local Roman bathhouse or water well. Also, these traveling Christians weren't just going around taking notes on other Christian's they ran into, then going back to give testimony for or against them. We'll find as we go further in 3 John there was a big issue going on within a certain church and John has been working to address it. So, these men bring a testimony, of Gaius, as part of the solution. Not just idle chit chat or gossip.
Here are a few verses to think about, dig into:
Proverbs 16:28 --- A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends
Proverbs 20:19 --- A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.
1 timothy 5:13 --- And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.
2 Timothy 2:16 --- Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
Proverbs 17:9 --- He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, But he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends.
James 1:26 --- Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
I've heard it said before, if you aren't part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. That's good words to live by to determine where you fit in sharing things. The issue comes in with us Christians in the form of prayer request. Asking for prayer or to pray over something isn't wrong. Keep reading.... but don't we need to pray for Brother Billy John who I heard stubbed his toe and shouted some unholy word I can't repeat here…. I mean bless his soul and that poor wife of his……
Okay, you get the point. There's no question we're supposed to pray for our brothers and sisters. Absolutely, yes! Prayer is so vital. What it comes down to though is the heart or intention behind it and ultimately are you and the person you're about to "ask to pray" part of the solution? Is it about building up or tearing down? Does it build unity or destroy it? Would you want someone to talk about you to someone this way?
We learn over and over in the Word we're to love each other with AGAPE Love. Selfless, sacrificial love. The love we just don't have in us humanly. The love that doesn't want anything for ourselves and has no hidden agenda. I can't help but think of Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector found in Luke.
Luke 18:9-14 --- 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Pharisee's heart behind it was to look at others to tear down and build himself up. He was focused on others and himself. The tax collector's heart was to look at what wasn't right in his own life, get right with God and let God build up. He was focused between himself and God.
Before you go pray about Brother Billy John's toe stubbing you heard about, you'd better assess your own intentions and heart. If you need to do that before you even pray on it, then how much MORE so should you assess things before going to a brothers/sister to discuss things or "ask for prayer"?
Bringing it full circle back to today's verse, these brothers gave testimony to John, about someone who had truth in his life, who was walking in the truth of Jesus Gospel. It was news of someone who was part of the solution to someone else who was part of the solution, to an ungodly issue that needed to be addressed.
Well, that was definitely not the direction I expected this morning's journey to take. It's obviously not a comprehensive discussion on gossip but it was where the Lord led. I pray you would Be the Berean and get into your bible, talk with God, and see what He has to say to you about it.
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