Read 2 John 1:1–13
We’ve seen through all of John’s writings that he talked a lot about both love and truth. He continues with those themes here in this short letter. And because it’s so short, it forces us to stop and consider the relationship between truth and love. On the surface, they may not seem to relate much; one thing is a concept that describes reality, and the other thing describes how you feel about and relate to another person. But John helps us look closer to see how they are tied together.
In John’s Gospel, John shared that Jesus called Himself the “truth” (14:6). And because of that, here John ties truth to God’s commands because we can know that everything sourced from Jesus is truth and will lead us into truth. They are things we can bank on, that we know will not lead us astray. And what is one of the most fundamental commands God gave to us? It’s to love. We’re supposed to love God and to love everyone around us in the same way that we love ourselves. And a key component of that love is to share the truth with everyone around us.
So we see that when we walk in truth, we love. And when we love, we want others to know the truth. We can’t have one without the other. As you are interacting with people today, think about how dedicating yourself to the truth will be a way you can show love to those around you. Also, take some time to think about the inverse; how can compromising on the truth communicate a lack of love for the people around you? You might be surprised at the answers you find. But when you find them, let them help guide you into a deeper relationship with Jesus and all the people God has put in your life.
Begin praying with Psalm 85:10:
“Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.”