3 John 5-6–Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 

In moving from Savannah, Georgia back to Washington, and having to re-acclimate myself back to the West Coast and our mannerisms took some time. Back in our old neighborhood in Georgia, no matter who drove by, people always seemed to wave, even to strangers, it was just a common gesture of the culture to do so.

But of course moving back to Washington into our new neighborhood, and trying to bring that same courtesy, I would get weird stares or nervous-type” hand waves as if I were strange for greeting strangers!  But I soon just accepted it was just a difference in culture, and not to take any offense by it…

However changing a culture is something God desires Christians to “pioneer”, by doing what can be very uncomfortable. This man Gaius, who the passage refers to, looked to prove the love of Christ by going above and beyond to strangers.  So much so, that the strangers testified to his love before the church!

If followers of Christ are ever to be influences of change like Jesus was, it starts with doing what is uncomfortable, treating strangers like brothers and sisters in our efforts towards them.  It doesn’t mean they will always appreciate it like these men did.  But it rebukes the culture and cold heart of the world, and affirms we are disciples of Christ, who did everything possible to prove His love to us…