3 John 1:13
I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink.
3 John 1:14
I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
We were created to experience life in many facets. We are physical and we can have physical experiences. Physically we can be tickled to laughter, enjoy a sumptuous meal but we also get ill. Apart from physical, we are also capable of experiencing life spiritually. Spiritually we relate to God and the unseen and even have fears of being bewitched and haunted. We also experience life mentally. However, today, we will focus on experiencing life socially. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
It is unfortunate that though God gave us several facets of life, we tend to emphasize one or two at the expense of others. A well-lived life is a life that all facets that are balanced and equally experienced. We should give our physical beings as much attention as we give our spiritual, mental, and social. Samuel and Jesus grew up with emphasis on all aspects of life.
1 Samuel 2:26
Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man.
Stature is physical. In favor with the LORD is Spiritual. In favor also with man is social.
Luke 2:52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Wisdom is mental. Stature is physical. In favor with God is Spiritual. In favor with man is social.
If some of us were given a chance to edit the Bible, we would have it state that Samwel grew spiritually more than other aspects. If we had a chance we would not want a Jesus who is mental, physical, and social. We would just want a Jesus who is only growing spiritually. The Bible doesn’t even begin with the spiritual growth of Jesus and Samwel. Spiritual is listed second last. The point is, we must balance our focus on all aspects of life. Therefore, a focus today on social being is not a focus on mundane issues, it’s biblical and a divine will. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
John in his epistles gives a hint on social life. In the second and third epistle, he expresses his social need to fellowship with those who received his pastoral letters. In our text today it’s his third letter. He repeats the same thing in the following excerpt from his second letter.
2 John 1:12
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.
John makes the first recommendation that we should connect with each other by all means and in his time he used letter writing. Letter writing today includes social media platforms, email, and phone calls. Since John couldn’t reach the church immediately, he wrote letters. We must use all means to remain connected with each other. Be reachable on phone, on social media, and other current means. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
Secondly, John says, he could say much by letter writing by he prefers to do it face to face. While means of communication are good they can be addictive and sometimes not completely effective. Therefore, we must have some regulation on how much we rely on means of communication that are not face to face. Regulate your social media presence, to avoid addiction and losing the face-to-face skills of socializing. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
Thirdly, John tells the church that though he has interacted with them by letter, he will make effort to have a face-to-face meeting. After interacting with people by all other means, we should strive to meet them. Face-to-face meetings are important in meeting the desired social needs. Do not be satisfied interacting with your loved ones on phone, email, and other means, plan and meet them. Plan and meet your loved ones. Online should not satisfy us. If dating online, be careful since criminals masquerade therein too. Do not be satisfied with online life only, meet the person face to face in a safe environment while accompanied by other responsible people. Other followers online are just the crowds and we do not need to meet them. Special people must be met face to face regularly. Long-distance relationships without any plans of face-to-face meetings are not recommended. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
Have friends is the fourth recommendation. John had church members and among them friends. John was in a network of friends. He tells them, friends, here, greet the friends there. We must have friends. People who we care for and care for us. Out of the whole church, have friends you know and are close to. Out of the whole workplace, or class, or neighborhood, have friends. Pray for friends, and look for friends. To get friends be friendly. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
The fifth recommendation is to know people by name. be close enough to know the friends by name. John tells the church to greet the friends by name. When you refer to someone by name, they feel special. Make others feel special and they will make you feel special. You may not know everyone by name, but do get to know some people by name. Knowing by name implies closeness and not just cramming a name or having it on your phone book. Friends should be of all gender, without bias of race or tribe. Choose friends carefully since you are an average of five friends you keep. You have crooks as friends, you get a crooked deal always. You get lazy unproductive people, you get no better. You get gossipers, you get in trouble with what you say. Have friends you know but choose carefully. Biblical recommendations for a healthy social life!
Help us dear God to follow the biblical recommendations for a healthy social life, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
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Amen Doc. Thank you once again for this insight
Knowing people socially by name adds value to our social relationships.
Yes it does!
Amen. Thanks my Pastor
Blessings on you my brother!
May this pandemic come to an end we resume face to face social interactions with our friends. Meanwhile we continue socializing online. Thank you Pastor for the word.
Amen!
Quite a splendid insight Pastor. Long live you for more like these in Jesus name.
Amen!
Thanks Pastor such a wonderful study am learning greatly God bless you
Be blessed too, Hallelujah!