By Ariel
👋 Hi friends! I’m Ariel, and guess what? Today’s blog post isn’t just another adventure—it’s a heart lesson straight from the Time Audit Machine! 📜⏳
Earlier this week, Fluffernutter, Alice, and I cranked the gears, punched in “3 John,” and zapped ourselves (well… journal-style zapped) into one of the tiniest books in the whole Bible—but don’t let the size fool you! Big truths are packed into those verses, and one character stood out like a warning sign on a slippery hill.
His name? Diotrephes.
At first, I thought his name sounded like a constellation or maybe a dinosaur. 🦕 But Diotrephes wasn’t anything like the heroes we’ve met before. He wasn’t kind. He wasn’t humble. He didn’t share. In fact—he slammed the door shut on God’s messengers!
That made me wonder… 🤔
What happens when someone forgets the mission and tries to be the boss instead of a blessing?
What happens when pride pushes kindness out of the room?
So I pulled out my glittery gel pens, my Adventure Bible, and a whole page of “Uh-oh, we need to talk about this!” doodles—and this post was born!
Pride might seem like a puffed-up balloon, but it can pop good friendships, push away God’s truth, and block the love we’re meant to share. Thankfully, 3 John gives us more than just a warning. It gives us a beautiful opposite to Diotrephes—someone like Gaius, who welcomed, encouraged, and helped grow the church like a warm lamp on a dark night. 💡
So if you’ve ever wondered:
- What does the Bible say about pride?
- How can we be like Gaius instead of Diotrephes?
- And what does hospitality really mean?
Then grab your journal (mine has doodles of open doors and sparkly hearts!), cuddle up with your Bible and bunny, and let’s explore how humility makes room for God’s love to shine.
🧭 This isn’t just a lesson—it’s a map toward the kind of believer I want to be.
Let’s begin!
🚫 The Danger of Pride and Rejecting God’s Design for Unity
During one of our family Bible times (right after snack break and a giggle-fit from Alice and Fluffernutter 🐰), Daddy read us a verse from 3 John 1:9–10. It mentioned a man named Diotrephes—someone who wanted to be first in everything.
“Diotrephes refused to welcome others and caused division in the church,” Daddy said, adjusting his glasses like he always does when he’s reading something serious. “John warned the early church about how pride and rejecting godly authority can tear people apart instead of bringing them together.”
That made my curiosity light up like one of my Minecraft redstone circuits. 💡
I asked, “Wait… if church is supposed to be a place full of love, teamwork, and truth—how could someone in the church act like that?”
Daddy gently explained, “Sometimes people let the desire for attention or power grow bigger than their desire to follow God’s truth. Diotrephes cared more about control than community. And when pride takes over, it doesn’t just hurt you—it hurts everyone around you. Pride clouds judgment and blocks cooperation. It’s the opposite of what Jesus calls us to do.”
Alice hugged Mr. Fluffernutter so tightly I thought his bunny eyes might pop off.
“So Diotrephes didn’t want to share… or be kind?” she whispered.
“That’s right,” Yaya said softly. “He pushed others away and tried to lead without love. God’s design for the church is like a body, working together in harmony. When one part wants all the attention, the whole body can’t move right. That’s why the Bible tells us to be humble and honor each other.”
I scribbled something in my journal:
📝 Pride builds walls. Humility builds bridges.
🕊️ Unity isn’t just a feeling—it’s a choice to love and serve together.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” —Proverbs 16:18
💭 Let’s Talk About It!
Can you think of a time when you let someone else go first, even when you really wanted to?
Have you ever seen a group stop working together because someone wanted to be in charge all the time?
What does it look like to show humility in your school, home, or church?
💡 The Pride of Diotrephes: When Being “First” Means Falling Short
While flipping through 3 John 1:9, we found this powerful moment:
“I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.” —3 John 1:9 (KJV)
Whoa. That word—preeminence—sounded like something from one of my science books. I asked Daddy what it meant, and he smiled gently, like he always does when he’s about to explain something deep.
“Diotrephes wanted to be in charge all the time,” Daddy said. “He craved attention, recognition, and control. Instead of welcoming fellow believers, he blocked them out. He didn’t want to share leadership or honor God’s truth—he just wanted to be first.”
And just like that, click! My heart understood it.
Pride wasn’t just a problem for Diotrephes—it was infecting the whole church. His refusal to welcome others wasn’t just rude—it was harmful to the entire body of Christ. 💔
🚪 Pride Closes Doors. Humility Opens Them.
Yaya added, “The church should be a home built on love and teamwork. But when one person lets pride take the steering wheel, everyone else gets pushed out of the car.”
I giggled at that image—a church van zooming off with Diotrephes in the driver’s seat and nobody else allowed to hop in. 🚐🙅♂️
She continued, “Jesus taught us to put others first, to serve with humility and kindness. That’s how real Christian leadership works. It’s not about who gets noticed. It’s about who helps others shine.”
And I thought—wow. 🌟 What if every believer showed up with a “How can I help?” attitude instead of “Look at me!” energy? That would change everything.
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” —Philippians 2:3
I wrote this in my sparkly journal:
📝 The church isn’t a stage—it’s a family.
🕊️ Pride makes you the main character. Humility makes room for others to belong.
💬 Let’s Talk About It!
Have you ever seen someone share their role so others could grow?
What do you think makes someone a great leader in the church?
Can you spot the difference between leading with love and leading for attention?
🚫 Rejection of Godly Authority: When Power Pushes People Away
While reading further in 3 John 1:10, I felt something heavy stir in my heart. Here’s what John wrote:
“Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” —3 John 1:10 (KJV)
That’s a lot of strong language! So I asked Daddy what it all meant.
He said, “Diotrephes didn’t just ignore John—he tried to silence him. He spread rumors, rejected faithful believers, and even forced people out of the church just because they welcomed others with love.”
My brain spun like one of Alice’s teacups. ☕
“Wait… he kicked people out for being kind?” I asked.
Alice’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Isn’t church supposed to be where everyone belongs? Even me and Fluffernutter?”
Daddy nodded slowly. “Absolutely. A healthy church reflects God’s love, not personal power. But when someone like Diotrephes tries to protect their control instead of protecting truth, they create a space of fear instead of fellowship. And that’s the opposite of what Jesus wants for His church.”
🕊️ The Church Is Meant to Welcome, Not Withhold
Yaya’s voice softened. “When people reject godly authority or use their words to hurt others, it creates walls where there should be open doors. God calls us to build bridges of trust, not throw up fences of fear.”
I imagined a huge stone wall with a locked gate—and behind it, people just trying to get in and worship. 💔
That’s not what Jesus wants. He said:
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” —John 13:35
So instead of guarding our positions, we’re supposed to guard each other’s hearts.
💡 Let’s Be Welcomers, Not Wall-Builders
I doodled this on the edge of my journal page:
📝 Gossip builds walls. Grace builds doors.
🕊️ The church isn’t just a building—it’s a family. Everyone has a seat at the table.
Alice whispered, “So… being nice actually helps keep the church strong?”
Yaya grinned. “Yes, little one. Kindness and humility are superpowers in God’s house. When we welcome others, especially those who are hurting or new, we’re showing them Jesus. That’s the real mission.”
💬 Let’s Talk About It!
What can we do—at home, church, or school—to make sure others feel included and loved?
Have you ever seen someone being left out when they really wanted to join in?
Why do you think some people choose power over peace?
🛡️ Guarding Against Pride and Promoting Church Unity: What We Can Do
After we unpacked the story of Diotrephes and his prideful choices, our family paused for a bit. We didn’t just want to say, “Wow, that was bad.” We wanted to ask:
✨ “So what can WE do to make sure that doesn’t happen in our church, in our home, or in our hearts?”
Daddy called it “practical application time,” but I like to think of it as faith-in-action journaling—where lessons leap off the page and into real life. Here’s what we discovered:
🤲 Serve Humbly, Not Selfishly
“Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.” —Matthew 20:26 (KJV)
“Always look for ways to serve instead of ways to stand out,” Daddy said. “Leadership in God’s Kingdom isn’t about bossing people around—it’s about lifting others up.”
That made me think of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. 🚿
Like, the King of the Universe kneeling with a towel? That’s not just humility—that’s holy strength!
So I jotted this down:
📝 The higher you rise in love, the lower you kneel to serve.
💬 Speak Words That Build, Not Break
I added this one because it’s something I really care about—words can either build treehouses or tear them down.
“Let’s be the kind of people who give courage, not criticism,” I said. “If someone feels sad, confused, or new at church, our words should make them feel seen, not smaller.”
Poppy once said, “A kind word is like a warm biscuit—everyone wants one.”
🍞✨ So yeah—be a biscuit-giver.
🙋♀️ Support Godly Leadership
“Honor leaders who are trying their best to follow God,” Yaya reminded us. “Especially the ones who don’t seek attention, but quietly help people grow in faith.”
She told a story about a lady in her old church who never spoke from the stage but always had time to pray with someone in the hallway.
“She was the glue,” Yaya said. “Not loud, but holding hearts together.”
True leadership points people to Jesus—not themselves.
🎯 Stay Focused on God’s Mission
Alice—holding Fluffernutter upside down like he was doing somersaults—said something wise without even realizing it.
She said, “The church is for sharing Jesus, not showing off.”
🎯 BULLSEYE.
Pride distracts. Love unites. The church isn’t a popularity contest—it’s a rescue mission for hearts.
“Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” —Hebrews 10:24
💭 Let’s Talk About It!
- What’s one small way you can serve someone this week without being asked?
- How do your words impact the people around you—at home, school, or church?
- Can you think of a time when you helped someone feel welcome or encouraged?
🌱 The Humility Challenge: Turning Kindness into a Family Superpower
After learning all about Diotrephes’ pride and how it hurt his church community, our family decided to go the complete opposite direction. We called it…
🎉 The Humility Challenge! 🎉
Each day this week, we picked one way to practice humility—not just talk about it. Our goal? To look for ways to serve, encourage, and love others without being asked or expecting anything in return.
🤍 Small Acts, Big Heart
My favorite moment (besides Alice accidentally stacking cups like a leaning tower of pasta 🍝) was when she quietly helped clean the dinner table without being asked. No fuss, no announcement—just a little whirlwind of helper energy with a bunny under one arm and a dish towel in the other. 🐰✨
I remember thinking: That’s it. That’s humility in action. It didn’t just make the kitchen sparkle—it made our hearts feel warm.
🕯️ Listening Like Jesus
Another highlight? Yaya shared how she spent time with a friend who was going through something hard. Instead of talking about her own worries, she just listened. Like… really listened.
“It’s not always about fixing,” she told us. “Sometimes humility is just making space for someone else’s heart.”
That gave me goosebumps. 💛
I even wrote in my journal:
📝 Humility is like a soft chair—you give someone else a place to rest their heart.
💫 Growing Together as a Family
All week long, we noticed these little “yes moments”—times we had to choose:
- Do I speak or listen?
- Do I rush or wait?
- Do I demand or share?
Sometimes we did great. Sometimes we messed up. But every time we tried, it helped us grow closer—like our hearts were learning to move in the same direction.
“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” —Ephesians 4:2 (KJV)
🏡 Humility Makes a Home Feel Holy
By the end of the week, our house didn’t feel quieter—it felt more alive. More grateful. More grace-full. We realized that living humbly doesn’t mean shrinking or staying silent. It means lifting others up, even when it costs something. Especially when it does.
And guess what? We decided to keep the Humility Challenge going… forever. (Well, not with stickers and points—just with hearts tuned to God.)
💭 Let’s Talk About It!
Why do you think God treasures humility so much?
What’s one humble thing you could do for someone in your family today?
Can you remember a time when someone’s quiet kindness made a big difference?
✨ Choosing Humility and Church Unity: Let’s Shine Together!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from studying Diotrephes’ story in 3 John, it’s this:
🙅♂️ Pride divides.
🤝 Humility unites.
🕊️ And Jesus leads us by loving low and lifting high.
The early church had to wrestle with what leadership should really look like. And honestly? So do we.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” —Mark 10:45 (KJV)
That verse hits deep.
Jesus didn’t come with a crown—He came with a towel. 👑 ➡️ 🧺
Not to rule from a stage, but to rescue from the floor.
And that’s our model.
💛 Real Strength = Quiet Service
True leadership in God’s Kingdom isn’t about being in charge—it’s about being willing to go last, to listen first, to encourage others when no one’s watching.
That kind of strength doesn’t sparkle on a stage. It grows in kitchens, classrooms, and quiet prayers whispered for someone else.
So while the world shouts, “Look at me!”
Let’s gently say, “How can I love you today?”
🌍 Be a Bridge-Builder for Christ
In a world full of selfies and spotlights, choosing Christian humility makes you a walking, talking miracle. 💫
When we support one another, choose unity over ego, and serve with joy—even in small, hidden ways—we build a church that reflects God’s heart.
Not a building.
Not a brand.
A family. One where everyone is welcomed, valued, and seen.
Let’s be that family. 💖
📝 I wrote this in big bold letters in my journal:
“Humility isn’t quiet because it’s weak. It’s quiet because it’s listening to God.”
👇 I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Let’s learn from each other and grow together as a humble, joyful, Jesus-loving family.
With love, joy, and sparkly journal notes,
Ariel 💖
