Demetrius

 

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. - 3 John 9-12

On the other end of the spectrum we see Demetrius. We don’t read a whole lot about him, because we don’t really need to hear much.

 

Demetrius has a good report from every one and from the word of God itself. We simply hear that we he had a good testimony before everyone, that he lived a life that was faithful to the word of God, and that Paul bore witness to his testimony. We don’t get the details because we don’t need them.

 

Can you imagine if that were said of us? Can you imagine if people always spoke of our testimony, that our lives were lived according to the word of God, and that we were well spoken of by godly people?

 

What a blessing it would be to be a Demetrius. For all time and eternity Diotrephes is on the record and a scoundrel and Demetrius is praised as a man of God.

 

May my life reflect more of the life of good and less of the life of evil.