No Greater Joy

Daily Reading: 2 & 3 John

Scripture Focus: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 4)

Devotional Thought: John the Elder had reasons for sadness and reasons for joy about the church.  There were those who loved to be first and turned people away.  There were also those, like Demetrius, who were "well spoken of by everyone – and even by the truth itself."  It was Christians like Demetrius that elicited the Elder’s jubilation: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth!”

I know the Elder’s delight.  I love to see people in whom I have invested grow and serve the Lord, modeling Christ’s heart of love, mercy, forgiveness, and service.  I also know the Elder’s pain.  There is no other pain that can be compared to what you experience when someone that you have loved and led turns against you and the truth you have instilled in them.  I’ve had it happen on more than one occasion.  People I have “promoted” to positions of service and trust have betrayed that trust.

Does that mean we should stop loving and investing in people?  Does it mean we should stop sponsoring leaders along the path of service?  Of course not!  “People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.” (Mother Teresa)

Prayer: "I have one deep supreme desire - that I may be like Jesus.  To this I fervently aspire - that I may be like Jesus... And when at last He comes to die, 'Forgive them, Father,' hear Him cry for those who taunt and crucify.  I want to be like Jesus." Amen. (Thomas O. Chisholm)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 130.5-8

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.

8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.