Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

THREE MEN Three mystery men are the subject of the Bible's briefest book. Nothing is known of them except what John includes in this, his Third Epistle. The men are Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. Four men in the New Testament carried the common name of Gaius, but attempts to identify John's Gaius have been fruitless. There are also four men by the name of Demetrius in the Bible, but attempts to learn about the one in 3 John have been unsuccessful. Nothing at all is known of Diotrephes. Regardless of their personal background, John says enough about each for us to form strong opinions. Gaius is "well beloved." His attitude and spiritual strength apparently had been of great help to John. The apostle greets Gaius affectionately and includes a personal prayer that he will prosper and be in health, even as his soul prospers. Diotrephes was not in John's good graces. Proud and arrogant, Diotrephes had demanded preeminence, refusing to recognize the God-given authority of John. He was disrupting the church so much that John admits he will have to make a special trip to deal with this troublesome person. But Demetrius has a "good report of all men." What a powerful testimony! He could be trusted because he was truthful. If someone were to write of us, which of these descriptions would fit us? Hopefully, we would be helpful to all of God's workers. We would also have established our integrity beyond question. Lord, help us to be like Gaius and Demetrius, and wholly unlike Diotrephes. We become like these men by daily exercising good qualities in little things.