It is good to live with weaker vessels in an understanding way, showing honor to weaker vessels. (e.g. Luke 2:49-51 …12 year old Jesus of Nazareth is being understanding and showing honor to Mary as a weaker vessel in this scene).
It is good to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. And it is good to not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling. So for example… It is good for John to do what he says in 3 John, “So if I come, I will bring up what Diotrephes is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.” And it is good for Jonathan to candidly bring up the fact that Saul was speaking wicked nonsense against David (even though Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?!” AND Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to strike him). And it was good for Jonathan to rise from the table in fierce anger and fast for the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him. [1 Samuel, chapter 20, verses 30-34]. And it is good to have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies. Patiently endure evil. And it is good to believe that God may perhaps grant ________________________ (write the names of the people you personally know who are like Diotrephes and King Saul) repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. [see 2 Timothy, chapter 2].
And it is good to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect (e.g. Theo of Golden).
And it is good to have a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame (see the above reference to Diotrephes and King Saul).
It is good to show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (e.g. Theo of Golden).
It is good to serve one another. …as each has received a gift to use it as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
It is good to use the gift of speaking, as one who speaks oracles of God (e.g. Theo of Golden).
It is good to use the gift of serving to serve as one who serves by the strength that God supplies.
It is good to embrace suffering according to God’s will, and for those who suffer, to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (e.g. David in 1st Samuel; John in 3rd John; Joseph, son of Jacob in Genesis 37-50; Hadassah, a.k.a. Esther; Daniel, a.k.a. Belteshazzar; etc.).
It is good to clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
It is good to humble yourselves, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.
It is good to cast all your anxieties on God, because He cares for you.
It is good to resist Satan (see Genesis 4:7 [תִּמְשֹׁל]; Matthew 16:23; etc.), and stand firm in your faith.
It is good to stand firm in the true grace of God (e.g. like how Jonathan does in 1st Samuel 20 when he essentially puts 3rd John, verse 10 into practice).
0 Comments