It's always nice to hear a compliment, isn't it? Whether it be praise for your new clothes, for a task you completed or for your kind heart, a word of good report is always welcome. Admit it. We love it. We bask in it. It makes our hearts happy and our smiles wider. And as long as we don't let it go to our heads, it's not really a bad thing.
This fellow, Demetrius, is not mentioned much in the Bible, but evidently he was a pretty good man. In fact, John said he had a good report of all men. All men? Really? It seems he was such an upright character that even those who didn't like him couldn't deny that he was good. No one could find anything bad to say about him. What a compliment! But it gets even better.
John went on to say that not only did Demetrius have a good report of all men, but also of the truth itself. If you recall, John tells us in John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Jesus is the truth. So if Demetrius had a good report of the truth itself, doesn't that mean that Demetrius had a good report from Christ? Not only could the men not find grounds to complain about Demetrius, but Jesus couldn't either. Is there any higher praise?
It makes you wonder how we're living our lives? Are we living in such a way that others can't help but declare a good report about us? Are we living lives so holy that Christ Himself puts His stamp of approval on our thoughts and actions? It's an eye-opening, soul-thumping thought, isn't it?
I don't know about you, but I want to live a life of good report in the eyes of men, but more importantly in the eyes of Christ. I know that my sins are forgiven because of the blood of Christ, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't strive to live a holy, acceptable life. After all, according to the Bible, it is my reasonable service. Christ died for me; it's only reasonable that I live for Him.
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