Morning Manna | 1 John 1:1-4 | No Greater joy

3 John 1:1-4

1 The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

The last two epistles of John are personal letters between him and the beloved in Christ. They are living examples of the love of Christ in us for others, which he showed in his gospel and taught about in his first epistle. His love for Gaius is a love rooted in truth. If we are in the light, we cannot love falsehood. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.

Love for Christ is realized in the Christian life by loving others. We see this in John’s earnest desire for the good of his brother: “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” God’s love in us will be seen in our love for others and our desire to see them prosper, even above ourselves. This was the love Christ showed us on the cross of Calvary when He cried, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” and again in the example of the thief, whom Christ took the time to pardon and comfort in His hour of agony. God’s love can never be stifled; it must go out. It is best enjoyed when it is shared with someone else. His love in us must go out from us, and when it does, both we and those we love experience a fuller joy in it.

Living in love leads not only to caring deeply for others and putting their needs above our own, but also to rejoicing on their behalf. When John heard of Gaius’s testimony of walking in truth, he was overfilled with joy and thanked God for his brother’s faithfulness: “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” What makes us rejoice reveals what we truly love. What fills you with joy? Is it football? Do you jump and shout when your team scores a goal? Without a doubt, you have a great love for that sport. But when was the last time good news concerning a brother in Christ caused you to rejoice? Have you ever received a wonderful report from a fellow laborer and been so overjoyed that you praised God for working in and through him? It is only the love of Christ that produces this kind of love for others—a love that drives us to rejoice over their good, a love that compels us to love others as ourselves.

The greatest joy of all for the man or woman who walks in the love of Christ is to know that their children walk in truth. Once again, John links love with truth, for God’s love, which we possess and are to walk in, cannot be mixed with falsehood: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another…” Walking in love requires walking in truth, in light. And what a joy it is to see those whom you have invested in—those you have preached to, discipled, and nurtured in the faith—not only believe sound doctrine but walk in it! It is like raising children at home. When they are young, you teach them little by little, and as they mature, you begin to see those teachings displayed in their lives. When they reach a point where they live by those values without your constant guidance, it brings a joy like no other—to see what you have planted in them take root and flourish.

So it is with you, Christian. Many lack joy because they are not reaching out with the love of Christ that has been instilled in them. They are not praying for others, working for others, or rejoicing with others—it is all about self. But if you would stop hoarding the love of Christ and begin to pour it out to others, you would enjoy it more. And as it is poured into others, you will eventually see what you have invested in them begin to flourish, and their walk will resemble that of the Savior.

Discipling others is hard, but it is rewarding. In the early years, the pressure is on, and you may wonder if you will ever make it through. But when the days of sowing and investing are over, and the love of Christ you poured into them has taken root, you will see them living by that love. And in this life, you will find no greater joy than this.