Let's jump into the valuable letter of 3 John. It’s short but packed with great wisdom! In this letter, we learn about the importance of walking in truth and showing hospitality. Just like how you welcome friends into your home, we can also welcome others with kindness and love in our hearts. In 3 John, we read about a man named Gaius, who showed love and hospitality to traveling preachers. This teaches us that we should always welcome others with open hearts, just like how we invite friends over to hang out or play. When we do this, we're following Jesus' example of love.
John also talks about walking in truth. This means living our lives in a way that honors God's truth found in the Bible. Truth is so important! The words “truth” and “true” are used seven times in this short book! Just as we learn important lessons at school, we learn valuable lessons from the Bible that help us make good choices and live in a way that pleases God. John tells us to imitate what is good. We can look up to people who follow Jesus and learn from them. Whether it's your parents, teachers, or others, they can show us how to live in a way that makes God happy. John tells us about a man named Diotrephes, who did not welcome others and was a bad example. This teaches us that we should be careful not to follow bad examples and to show love and hospitality to others. We can grow to be kind, loving, and faithful followers of Jesus.
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for teaching us important lessons through Your Word. Help us to be like Gaius, showing love and hospitality to others, and always walking in Your truth. Help us to choose good examples to follow and to stay away from bad influences. In Jesus' name, Amen.