3 John 12 KJV
[12] “Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.”
The brother in our verse was responsible for carrying and delivering this epistle. He had a good report with all of the churches, and is endorsed by the apostle John. The Bible does not give us a lot of information about Demetrius, but it gives us enough to have great respect for him. This man is forever recorded in the pages of God’s Word as having a good report with ALL men.
You see, there are many great men of the Bible who did not have a good report with all men. Abraham was a man of great faith, but in Egypt he was the man who lied about his wife. David was known as a great warrior, the sweet psalmist, the great king and sadly the great adulterer. Peter was the powerful preacher at Pentecost, but he was also the one who denied Jesus.
We understand that none of us are perfect, and that all of our lives are flawed with mistakes. However, to be remembered as having a good report with ALL men is nothing to be overlooked. First and foremost, we should seek to please our Father in all that we do here on earth. We should also strive to keep our testimony right with others as well. What people say about us is not everything, and in some cases it’s not even true. At the same time, what men say about us is important. Whenever I think about the word “report”, I think about a document that tells the full story. A report is an update of where you are at the present time. It’s not what one or two people report about you that tells the complete story, but what is said about you all across the pages of your life. What do most of your co-workers say about you? What is your report among your family as a whole? How does the church view you as a member? Do you have a good report? If your report is not what it should be, then seek to change it.