Living in truth
by Peter Bean
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My dear friend, it is good that you help the brothers and sisters, even those you do not know (3 John 5).
Read 3 John 1–14
Who are our brothers and sisters? In the context of 3 John, they are our fellow followers of Jesus. And so, it is good that we help congregations, working groups, the wider church, overseas missions, and so on. Some of these people we will know well. Others we will not know. We may have only heard of their work. But living in truth, with life in Jesus, we support them anyway.
But is there not a wider context? If there is any truth in the prayer we prayed yesterday, ‘Christ in mouth of friend or stranger’, then surely God is at work wherever the Holy Spirit moves. There are numerous incidents in the Bible where God chooses to use people who do not recognise, acknowledge or understand God’s power and presence (for example, Cyrus in 2 Chronicles 36, the woman at the well in John 4, or even some of the disciples!).
God does indeed work in mysterious ways, with wonders to perform. How often do we miss out on witnessing those wonders when we limit God to our little worlds or put God in a box of our own making?
So, it is good to support our sisters and brothers – all who are doing God’s work, whether they recognise it or not and whether we recognise it or not. God is not limited to the LCANZ or the wider church. The wind blows where it wills – a description to describe the work of the Holy Spirit. So, in good faith, let’s allow the love of Jesus to flow through us and support those who are putting mercy into action, seeking justice where there is injustice, empowering the marginalised, and perhaps living in truth, without even realising it!
Lord God, through your Holy Spirit, you work where you will. Help us acknowledge this and look for opportunities to support your work in all sorts of places. Amen.
Peter is often out tending his garden – with 83 fruit and nut trees and extensive native bushes, he says there is a lot to do! Other times, he will be walking his dog, reading (too many books at a time), enjoying his family (15 grandchildren!), and occasionally writing – poetry, opinion pieces, devotions! To keep out of mischief, he is currently teaching himself to play the piano and is writing a paraphrase of each psalm. You can read these on his website, Creative Walking www.creativewalking.com.au/psalm-reflections.html
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