10 key words in 2 John #3: children

Introduction:

These three short letters – 1,2 and 3 John – are traditionally thought to be written by the author of the Gospel of John, known as John the Evangelist. 1 John is written to a group of early believers, some of whom were losing sight of the truth to be found in Jesus Christ. This letter – 2 John – is written to an individual – and this individual is a woman!

This month’s approach is to pick out 10 key words from the letter and unpack those words to see what message they contain for us today. So I suggest that each day, you read the whole letter, then read my thoughts on a particular key word and then take that word with you to reflect on throughout the day.

The whole of 2 John:

1 The elder,

To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

The 10 key words: children

• lady
• chosen
• children
• love
• truth
• Jesus
• joy
• command
• deceiver
• teaching

Today’s word: children

children: plural form of child

• a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority.
  ‘she’d been playing tennis since she was a child’
• a son or daughter of any age.
  ‘when children leave home, parents can feel somewhat redundant’
• an immature or irresponsible person.
  ‘she’s such a child!’
• a person who has little or no experience in a particular area.
  ‘he’s a child in financial matters’

ARCHAIC

• the descendants of a family or people.
  ‘the children of Abraham’
• a person regarded as the product of (a specified influence or environment).
  a child of the Sixties

In this letter, it’s not clear if John is referring to the actual children of this lady or her spiritual children. It could well be a combination of both.

In 1 John and 3 John, John addresses those in his care as his children. He talks about them as ‘my dear children’ and goes on to describe them also as ‘children of God’. It’s probable that this special lady had birth children of her own, but the children referred to here, in the context of the letters either side of this one, surely include her spiritual offspring – those she has led to faith in Jesus and who she nurtures as a mother nurtures her child. All these ‘children’, whatever their chronological age, are under her loving care.

I included all the different dictionary definitions of children here, because each one sheds a light on what it it to be a child of God. Maybe some of these observations will chime with you.

An actual child in the literal and legal sense is anyone under 18 years old in the UK. And yet as spiritual children, age is just a number. Everyone is equal before God, regardless of their age. We sometimes dismiss children as having nothing of value to say – like we are the ones to teach them everything. And yet sometimes, wisdom does indeed come from the mouths of babes, as they say. Jesus valued children and told us to come to him as children. We have much to learn from children about how best to live in this world: consider their wonder and joy and curiosity and acceptance of others and lack of cynicism for a start…Be ready to see God at work in others, regardless of their age.

However old our children are, they will always be our children. And we will always be the son or daughter of our mum and dad. That relationship may change over the years but it will never be broken. In the same way, we will always be children of God and He will always be our Father, however old we are. We can approach Him and call him ‘Abba’, which is like ‘daddy’ at any stage of our lives.

OK, so yes, sometimes we use the word ‘child’ in a pejorative way. ‘Childish’ is not something to aspire to; it’s ‘childlike’ that is the goal. There’s never any excuse for being irresponsible or immature. Yes, we’re learning all the time, but learning involves moving forward, evolving…staying the same is not an option – in life and as a Christian.

Having said that, it’s OK to admit when we don’t know something. Often assumptions are made about what we already know – maybe you struggle with some of the language used in the songs in church or you can’t make sense of the Bible reading or you’re unsure about something you heard in the sermon. Maybe you’re facing a tricky situation in life and you really don’t know what path to take. Maybe you’re struggling with a habit or addiction and are afraid to admit to it. Let’s create an environment where learning from each other and from God is the aim, so that no one is judged for their questions or doubts. We are here to nurture one another as we grow in faith and love.

It’s good to remember that we come from a long line of believers. There’s a tradition of walking with God that spans back over the centuries and we take our place in that line. We can learn from their experiences with God as others will in the future learn from ours. We are never alone. This path has been walked before.

And finally the last definition – a child of God is a product of a specified influence or environment. That just about sums up for me what it is to be a child of God. God is the specified influence. We are choosing to be influenced by God alone. And the environment? Well, that’s all the other children of God walking before us and behind us and beside us. Some will be those who nurture us and care for us. Others will be those we nurture and care for. No one is left to walk the path alone.

So today, focus on what it means to you to be a child of God right now. Which of these definitions resonate most for you? What is God wanting to reveal to you today about your relationship with Him?