WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
OCTOBER 04, 2026
TOPIC: FOLLOW WHAT IS GOOD
BY T. O. BANSO
“My dear friend, do not follow what is bad; follow what is good. The one who does good belongs to God. But the one who does evil has never known God.” (3 John 1:11, New Century Version).
In 3 John 1:9-12, the Apostle John speaks about two people, Diotrephes and Demetrius. Diotrephes loved to have preeminence or be the leader in the church. He refused to acknowledge John’s authority over him or listen to him. Moreover, he lied and spoke evil things about John. He also refused to welcome and help the missionaries and threw out of the church those who wanted to do so. However, Demetrius, in the same church, had a good reputation. Everyone spoke well of him, as does the truth itself.
This is exactly how the Bible presents these two characters: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church…. Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true” (3 John 1:9-10, 12, New International Version).
Every church, organisation, society, or country has people who fit into these two characters—the bad and the good. Are you a Diotrephes or a Demetrius? Are you self-conceited, domineering, or unaccountable to leadership? Do you lie against and defame your leaders? On the other hand, do you have a good reputation like Demetrius? Wherever you are, do not be a Diotrephes, but a Demetrius. Also, don’t imitate people like Diotrephes.
After speaking about Diotrephes, John counselled in 3 John 1:11, “My dear friend, do not follow what is bad; follow what is good. The one who does good belongs to God. But the one who does evil has never known God.” (New Century Version). Exodus 23:2a says we should not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
Whom are you emulating? 2 Chronicles 34:1-2 says, “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.” (New Living Translation). Note the phrase “and followed the example of his ancestor David.” David was a great king—a man after God’s heart.
Josiah became king at eight years and reigned for 31 years. His grandfather was Manasseh, the son of a good king, Hezekiah. But Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings in Judah before God sent the Assyrians to capture him and take him into exile, where Manasseh humbled himself, and God restored him to his throne (2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-18).
Josiah’s father, Amon, followed in Manasseh’s evil footsteps. “Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. He followed completely the ways of his father, worshiping the idols his father had worshiped, and bowing down to them. He forsook the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk in obedience to him. Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated the king in his palace.” (2 Kings 21:19-23, New International Version).
The people killed all the conspirators and installed Josiah, Amon’s son, as king. However, Josiah didn’t follow his father’s bad example or his grandfather’s. Rather, he followed David’s good example. 2 Kings 22:2 records this about Josiah: “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.” (New International Version).
Josiah carried out religious reforms, returned the people to God, and rid the nation of idols. 2 Kings 23:25 says, “Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.” (New King James Version). Unfortunately, despite his devotion to God, he died tragically because he failed to heed King Necho of Egypt’s warning not to meddle in a war God had commanded him (Necho) to fight. (2 Chronicles 35:20-27). Nevertheless, Josiah was a good king, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned him. “Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments.” (2 Chronicles 35:25, New King James Version).
Are you following what is good or what is bad? Don’t follow a bad example. In John 8:39, Jesus told the Jews who said that Abraham was their father that if they were Abraham’s children, they would do the things Abraham did. In other words, they would follow his good example. Jesus further told them, “But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.” (Verses 40-41a, New King James Version).
Follow what is good. Paul said to the Corinthian Christians, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1, New Century Version). Earlier in 1 Corinthians 4:15-16, he said, “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” (New King James Version).
In Philippians 3:17, Paul told the Philippians, “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” (New Living Translation). He went further in Philippians 4:9, saying they should practise what they had learnt, received, or heard from him or seen in him, and the God of peace would be with them.
Also, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, New International Version).
By his conduct, Paul showed a good example to follow. Earlier in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, he noted that the Thessalonians became imitators of his missionary team and the Lord; despite severe suffering, they welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, they became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (verse 7).
Follow what is good. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.” (New King James Version). Follow those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:12).
Follow what is good.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must repent of your sins and confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life—your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, you will be taught how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where you will be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: In Jesus’ name, I will follow what is good, not what is evil. I will not imitate bad examples but good ones. Holy Spirit, help me to follow those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. Help me be a Christian whose life others can emulate—an example of a good Christian.
(For over 900 in-depth, powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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