God’s Children

God’s Children

Q: Fill in the blanks: “Those who _____ _____ prove that they are God’s children.”

• a. do good
• b. pray often
• c. attend church

Do you offer some of your treats to friends? Do your parents invite people to your home for a meal? Do you ever have an overnight guest? If you or your family reach out to others and invite them to share what you have, you are showing hospitality.

The book of 3 John was written to a man named Gaius to show approval of the way he displayed hospitality and kindness to others, especially those who were traveling. Sometimes Gaius didn’t even know the people he helped. In his letter to Gaius, John said, “Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.”

Gaius knew that the Christian workers, both those in his home church and those who traveled, needed to be cared for physically. That’s why he opened his house to them and offered them food and a place to sleep. They also needed to be cared for spiritually by being encouraged in their faith.

John heard of Gaius’s good deeds, but he also heard of Diotrephes, who wanted to control things in the church but refused to do good for others. Diotrephes tried to stop others from doing good too. John told Gaius to follow only what was good because that would show he was one of God’s children.

John wasn’t saying that people’s good works make them right with God. He was saying that when you are living for God, you just naturally do good works.

For You

Do the things you do each day show others that you are living for God? In what ways can you reach out to others and do good?

Answer: a

Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.   3 John 1:11

(The Whole Story: The book of 3 John 1)