Glory Hogs or Imitators of Good?

3 John 1:9-12 

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
12 Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

Diotrephes was a proud man who wanted the attention and glory all brought to him and continually laid at his feet as if in worship.  By yearning continuously for the best seat instead of waiting for God through the leaders to choose if and when to invite him higher, his pride became a detriment to fellowship and to the ministry of others (Luke 14:10-11).  He even refused to welcome and honor those placed over him by God such as the apostle John and those serving alongside him.  This glory hog was a detriment to God’s work in opposition to His word and will.  He went so far as to slander God’s workers and incite hate and demand rejection against them by others in the church!  Even today there are those not walking in humility who are enemies within, whose pride is like the roaring lions in the sanctuary as Paul warned the Ephesian elders of (Acts 20:29-30). Their aim aligns with the enemy to destroy, hinder, and not serve God, His work, or His flock.  Shepherds must be aware to then teach and exhort to not do as these do, but to imitate those imitating Christ (1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1) as we are called to do.  Those imitating the good are God’s, not those who do such evil, for they have not really seen God’s face nor understood His character or word to us.  Then we observe the contrasting example of Demetrius, whose life was a testimony of Christ in goodness and truth.  John and the others talked well of this one who was following Christ as a good example for us to imitate, one whose life rang true to the sound of Jesus’s name.  If we follow such examples in sincere and godly ways with humility and honor and love, then we do well to testify truly of God’s grace in us.  We become kingdom builders of love and truth.