The Lady Chosen by God

Her name might have been Kuria. It is thought that she might have been a widow with children who perhaps hosted a house church in her home. Her sister and children were also known by John, and must have lived close by where John was penning his letter, because he included greetings from her sister in his closing greeting to Kuria. Her sister was also chosen by God, and must have been equally influential in the Christian community.

With so many biblical references to women in both the Old and New Testaments, it is remarkable that this lady is surrounded by a bit of mystery in terms of who she really was and what she did. It is enough that John recognized: 1) that God had chosen her, and 2) that all who loved the truth loved her. To me, this means that she was a woman of integrity, whose speech and walk synchronized with God’s truth.

It is interesting that John mentions that “some” of her children were also walking in the truth. The best mother cannot ensure that her children will follow her example. However, whether her children were walking in the truth, or not, John’s strongest exhortation to this special lady was, “I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” (Verses 5 & 6)

It is hard to walk in both truth and love! Sometimes, as a mother, I am torn between speaking the truth to my children and loving them unconditionally. How do you balance obedience to God’s truth and obedience to God’s love? We do have three things from God to help us with this: grace, mercy and peace.

Ephesians 4:14-16 emphasizes “speaking the truth in love” and addresses the additional concern that John has about deceivers and the damage that they can do when they infiltrate the church:

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

For those chosen by God, the goal is that the church flourishes and is protected from cunning, crafty people who are deceitful in their scheming against the church. Determine to set a watch for anything/anyone who might infiltrate your spiritual community, and make sure you are walking in God’s truth and love yourself, in whatever you do or say.

Jesus, you are my example of how to balance truth and love in equal measure. Please give me wisdom and integrity in the way that I influence the children God has given me. Amen.

For Today: Do you know that you are called by God? If so, you have the same challenges that this woman did, so may you find the path to integrity that honours both God and his word, as well as God’s great love! I know that this woman inspires me because she was doing the right stuff and just had to watch that she did not get sidetracked.