Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellows, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul reminds them of his deep love for them. He encourages them to rejoice, stand firm...be gentle... pray, don't be anxious... but now it's not about outside persecution or trials.... this time it's inside!
'There's a 'girl fight' going on! ... and by some "A- lister" sisters... girls who have labored with Paul for the gospel... is it possible? Yep.
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| alright you two.. knock it off |
So Paul calls for referees... twice (v2&3)! If word of the contention got to Paul, it must have been
big. We are supposed to work on rejoicing (v4) and being gentle, not working our left hook. And now the whole church is aware... this is a divisive disease in the body of Christ. If it’s not enough to know others are watching (that girl you invited to church, the one you've been discipling, new believers...), Paul reminds them (v5) the Lord is at
hand; God sees. So Paul calls for the leaders to 'help them' (v3) resolve it. This is the household of God, not Real Housewives of Philippi. (And yet, there is this little part of me wants to know what it was about... was it who gets to decorate?, who got more attention?... or.... oops... I digress). How easy it is to get caught up in it all. That's what happens with discord in the body of Christ.But here we are... the context of
our favorite refrigerator verse "be anxious for nothing", is this ‘chick fight’ in the church.
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pssst... come over here...
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Anxiety, frustration and conflict are a call to prayer, supplication and
thanksgiving. Prayer, Supplication and Thanksgiving. P.S.T.  |
Lord, set a guard over my mouth,
or a gate, or some duct tape.. |
“Pssssst, Psssst”. He is trying to get our attention. When we bring our requests and anxious thoughts in prayer, He will give us a peace that will guard our heart (those nasty attitudes) and our mind (that judgmental thinking) in Christ Jesus. I love that he uses the word 'guard'. If I have a guard over my heart and mind, it's less likely to come out of my mouth.
Silence is golden and duct tape is silver (another tattoo idea for me).
Euodia and Syntyche had their ugly moment forever etched in scripture, like an ancient TikTok for all the church to see. Yikes! I'm so glad our ugly moments aren't written and published. And even if we're not making the Philippian headlines, He sees right through any facade or excuse or selfish agenda. He sees. He is at hand. Anxiety, bad attitudes and frustration are a call to prayer. He doesn't promise here that He will change the situation, but prayer changes us. Being in His presence always does.
The
Lord is at hand. He alone can give us a peace that will allow our
'gentleness to be known to all'. A peace that the world does not know,
but desperately longs for. A peace that quells all our anxieties. A peace that is greater than we can
comprehend. And it starts on our knees.
