This disagreement was affecting the entire church!

Well, there you go. Two women. Two women who couldn’t get along. How would you like your name being forever remembered for your disagreement?

Clearly, this disagreement was affecting the entire church and word of it had traveled to Paul in prison.

Paul has been passionately preaching truth. The words of his letter to the Philippians have been emblazoned on our walls and preached from our pulpits.

Then, near the end of this amazing letter, Paul says, “I implore Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Phil 4:2)

He calls them out by name.

It’s as if he is saying, could you two just get along and remember what is important?

These were two who had served with Paul and now they were causing trouble in the church.

We shake our heads.

We can’t believe Paul would have to deal with this in this most holy letter, except, if we ever been around other people or looked in a mirror, we actually can believe it.

We see it in our world, in our churches and, if we are really honest in our own hearts. 😳

We humans have an amazing ability to get in ridiculous disagreements with each other, talk about one another, refuse to forgive when we are wronged, and mess up all kinds of great stuff, instead of remembering we are of the same mind with the same goals.

Remember, Paul told us earlier in this letter—

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men (Phil 2:1-7)

So as we feel our feathers ruffling around others, let’s remember Paul’s words.

Let’s examine our hearts in light of Philippians 2:1-7, and ask the Lord to help us be of His same mind and see situations and others as He does.

When we do this, it’s amazing how our hearts change and our eyes lift to do what Paul also encouraged earlier in this letter, Let’s “forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead” and “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)

Oh, this letter has been so good!!! No wonder Philippians is the favorite of many!

But wait! There’s more!! 😃 I’ll see you here tomorrow!

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