2 John 13 KJV
[13] “The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.”
John has penned his final verse in this small epistle, and I have to say that he has not disappointed us with his closing remark. This verse is unique in the fact that it contains both a farewell and a greeting. John is saying goodbye with his pen, but he extends a greeting thru this elect lady’s nieces and nephews. Some believe the elect sister, and the elect lady, are two local churches in the same neighborhood. This may very well be true, but they could also be two literal sisters.
What the text does reveal, is that time has made a change in this aged apostle. We now see the tender side of this old “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17). He is getting closer to his final flight, and shows the desire to be a blessing and encouragement to all he has contact with.
Doesn’t time have a way of doing that with all of God’s children? The closer we get to the shores of home, the more sensitive we become to the needs of others around us. There is a level of sensitivity that comes in the final stretch of the race of life that we do not find anywhere else along the journey. We are more aware of the needs of others, as we view every day as it may be our last, and every visitation with others as if it is the final one.
Time has made a change in us, slowly but surely. It is preparing us for that final exit. We are trying to encourage and prepare those that we see along the way. John was, no doubt, a blessing both in his words, and his witness to this lady and her sister. He had a burden for them all to do well in the work of God. He became both the instructor and the encourager in this epistle. His heart and his devotion can easily be seen when reading these thirteen verses. What a great example for us to follow as we walk in truth.