The elder,
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1-4)
Here is a letter from an apostle to a dear friend. Notice the perspective from which John is writing. He is concerned about his friend's physical condition - his health and prosperity - but everything is grounded in the truth and faithfulness to God. John wanted his friend to enjoy good things in life, but what gave him "great joy" was to know of his spiritual condition. We live in times of financial uncertainty; much emphasis is placed on money matters. We also live in a time of increased focus on healthy living. Lets never forget that what matters most is the nourishment and prosperity of our souls.
