Without trying to sound like an old sage dishing out advice, don’t you think that something that is no longer held up as important in our culture is face to face interaction? It’s so easy to text, message, call, video call, snap, tweet, or DM people that the art of face to face interaction seems to be slipping away.
Nearly 2000 years ago, John knew that some things are just too important not to do face to face.
12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
2 John 1.12-13
John knows that some things are too important to write down and says that even though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink.
So far, John has mainly dealt with false teachers and false teaching in this short letter, and there is so much more nuance that he could have gone into that he didn’t in this letter.
Why? Because some things are too important to do via correspondence.
We even see a reason behind his decision – so that our joy may be complete. So, if John can go to talk to a church about false teachers and false teaching and still be assured of mutual joy, surely we can interact with those in our church family and beyond knowing that too our joy may be complete.
Today then, rather than sending a couple of Whattsapps, or even calling someone on FaceTime, perhaps we should make time to go and talk to someone face to face. It’s not the easiest option, it’s not the quickest option, but, in some situations, it’s the right option.
So, who can you encourage, face to face, today?
Prayer – Father, we thank you that we are made in your image, and that part of this is our desire for interaction. Help us today to see who needs our time, where we can invest our time, and where we can best use our energies to complete someone’s joy. Amen.
