Useable

2 John

Useful information. Data. Intelligence. Truth you can use – I even hear that as advice to preachers concerning what they should provide people. Everybody seems to be looking for what amounts to information ammunition: What data can I gather to further my goals, put so-and-so in his/her place, advance my position, justify what I’ve done? The evil one just loves all this. This is part of the deception he works in the world through supposedly clever people.

This little letter to “the chosen lady and her children” (probably a circular letter to a number of churches) underlines the theme of truth we found through 1 John. What does it mean to be in the truth, to walk in the truth (verses 1, 4). Practically, it means truly loving one another (verse 5), but that, in turn, comes back to obeying God’s commands (verse 6).

For the Christian, truth is turned around from the direction it has in most of the world’s dealings. We don’t use truth; truth uses us. Truth shapes us. Truth determines our daily agenda and our lifetime plan. If we are in Christ and he in us, it is his truth, and the truth that he is, that shapes us and give us what used to be called character (now it’s all about personality).

Let’s get truth going in the right direction, which keeps truth true.

Prayer:
Lord, let me love, seek, do and be your truth today. In Christ. Amen.