William Penn Adair Rogers, better known as ‘Will’ Rogers. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory, and is known as “Oklahoma’s Favorite Son”. Will Rogers was known for his laughter, but he also knew how to weep. One day he was entertaining at the Milton H. Berry Institute in Los Angeles, a hospital that specialized in rehabilitating polio victims and people with broken backs and other extreme physical handicaps. Of course, Rogers had everybody laughing, even patients in really bad condition; but then he suddenly left the platform and went to the rest room. Milton Berry followed him to give him a towel; and when he opened the door, he saw Will Rogers leaning against the wall, sobbing like a child. He closed the door, and in a few minutes, Rogers appeared back on the platform, as jovial as before.
Warren Wiersbe once wrote— “If you want to learn what a person is really like, ask three questions: What makes him laugh? What makes him angry? What makes him weep?” He went further in his book “The Integrity Crisis”— “What we need today is not anger but anguish, the kind of anguish that Moses displayed when he broke the two tablets of the law and then climbed the mountain to intercede for his people, or that Jesus displayed when He cleansed the temple and then wept over the city. The difference between anger and anguish is a broken heart. It’s easy to get angry, especially at somebody else’s sins; but it’s not easy to look at sin, our own included, and weep over it.”
We are living in a time where churchanity and christianese predominates churches. Where no one knows the true character of a person, because their own values are so messed up they are unable to make a spiritually informed decision themselves. This was happening in churches two thousand years ago as well.
John the Apostle scribed in 3 John 1.9-12 a truth much needed today— “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.”
Diotrephes’ character is an illustration of a type of person who is in nearly every church. Some churches would even allow multiple people this way, even a prevailing spirit of this throughout the church. A Diotrephes must have his own will, and things done exactly to their taste, and every other person’s will must give way to their’s. Diotrephes’ character is that of either an unsaved man; or if we presume that Diotrephes was saved; then he is carnal and therefore independent of grace. He is a haughty heart, a lofty look, a proud heart, ambition, vanity, and selfishness. No such person is content with the position they are presently placed in. So their carnal mind is working for a higher, greater rung on the ladder than they are now. They want to be seen and heard. But are we not all, as true disciples, placed in our positions by the providence of God himself? This is an issue of meekness—not hungry for power of position and flat out not wanting it.
John describes the opposing character of Diotrephes in the person Demetrius. To be plain—Demetrius, from verse 12, is not a jerk. He is not opposed to God’s grace either. He is a man of truth and grace— “good report”. He is noticed not only by his peers, but also by the Apostle and his ministry team, “and we also bear record”. But what needs to be discussed is: The Opinions Of Others. Just as in Diotrephes’ case, he loves “the preeminence among them” meaning he has a following as well. By the way—popularity isn’t a qualified measurement of anything spiritual. Moses wasn’t very popular, neither was Jesus was He? Diotrephes apparently isn’t the only carnal thinker in the assembly if people are following him. John discerns this and explains the differences… “we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true”. Let’s remember that character witnesses and character references are only as good as the ones giving them. So when John says “we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true”, he is basically saying, ‘I’m an Apostle, who you got?’ Remember though, as carnal thinkers, their primary focus is on themselves anyway. So they will not see this unless revealed to them by the Holy Spirit.
All carnal people entertain a naturally high opinion of themselves. Even as the Apostles, they strive for who will be the greatest. This is not faith. This is not a life dependent upon grace. A faith-life and a grace-life is the opposite of a vain, proud, self-exalting spirit. It’s in utter inconsistency with the character of a Follower of Christ. Because it is in direct opposition with the spirit of Christ. Jesus was by nature—meek. As stated earlier, for a person to call themselves a disciple of Christ they also must learn this meekness. Jesus said in Mathew 11.29— “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” This is obviously a person who is not “learn[ing] from me [Jesus]”
There is another reason why it’s not in the character of a Disciple to love the pre-eminence… That post of honor is preoccupied. It belongs, not to the disciple, but to the disciple’s Lord—not to the saved sinner—but to that sinner’s Savior!
Every time we think or act in pride… Every time we exalt ourselves… Every time we place people on pedestals… Every time we demand, instead of wait on God… We strip Him of the honor He has so lovingly earned. When you find yourself saying…’I don’t deserve this.’ Remember, He didn’t deserve it either.