3 John 2 KJV
[2] “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
In this verse the apostle uses the phrase, “I wish above all things”. This phrase seemed to catch my eye as I read it. I’m interested in what his number one wish would be concerning our brother Gaius. We can clearly see that John wastes no time in revealing what he wished for.
John desired for him to prosper financially and physically, just as he had prospered spiritually. I’m sure the health and wealth, name it and claim it crowd loves this verse. We must remember that there is more connected to this verse than just that alone. Time will not allow us to chase that rabbit, but let me say that the message of the Bible is not material wealth, and physical health, but spiritual deliverance from sin, Satan, and self. These are riches that money cannot buy.
John, no doubt, thought that this man would be able to use the financial gain for the work of this ministry. Gaius, most likely, had poor health, so it was also the apostle’s desire to see him experience a physical touch, as well. There is no envy or covetousness in John’s soul, but a desire to see the children of God prosper in every way possible. This was his number one wish for his brother. In this self-centered world we live in, there must be a desire in all of our hearts to see others being blessed more than ourselves.
It reminds us that Christian living is not about getting, it is about giving. It’s about desiring more for others than we do for ourselves. As John prepares to make his final flight he desires nothing less than the fullest of God’s blessing upon the children of God. Think about another brother today, and ask yourself this question, “What is your number one wish for them?”