3 JOHN 1-4-  The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

THEME OF THE DAY:  WHAT DO OTHERS SEE?  Take another look at today’s scripture but this time, ask two questions, “Is my reputation as a Christian one that matches the recipient of the letter the Apostle John wrote, Gaius?” and “Would my reputation as a Christian enable me to receive such a letter from the Apostle John?”  How encouraging that would be as a believer!  As for the Gaius-type reputation, it isn’t some dream to hold but a pursuit to undertake.

In today’s scripture, the Apostle John affirms Gaius’s walk with the Lord, not because he observed it.  He heard about it.  Others observed Gaius walking in truth and his witness was spread abroad.  And that is the way it should be for all Christians. Others should watch us and be impacted by our daily conduct and speech as Christians.  It was so for Gaius.  It was so for Philemon – I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you (Philemon 4-7).

So, how does one build such a Christ-honoring and Christ-modeling reputation?  Well, it begins with the conviction that lifestyle matters.  If we are going to effectively proclaim the truth as it is in Christ, we must live the truth as it is in Christ.  The Gospel is a message to be heralded and a life lived affirming the Gospel – Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27).

The next application toward building a reputation affirming the Gospel and the reality of Christ is to do what Gaius was observed in doing – walking in the truth.  In the simplest of terms this means putting the truth of Christ in practice. We may call this “intentional obedience” and don’t think it just automatically occurs. Take this test.  Look back over the past twenty-four hours and list the specific commands of God’s truth we have obeyed?  I hope none of us finds this difficult, but the point is that our walk in truth, building an observable witness for Christ, is done “on purpose” by putting specific commands in practice.

So, what do others see in us?  A reflection of a Gaius-type reputation of walking in truth?  Or better yet, a model of Christ who is the truth?

PRAYER: “Father, may my life be so lived that the truth of Your Son is always on display.”

QUOTE: “If we are going to effectively proclaim the truth of Christ, we must live the truth of Christ.”

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jim