Daily Devotions for Difficult Days [113] A Jesus Attitude

The Hints of Paul

As we make our way through the first Christian hymn in Philippians chapter 2, we're still dwelling in the prelimanries. I say that so that no-one gets lost in these devotionals.

The apostle Paul, like his Saviour, is filled with what we call "emotional intelligence" today. Instead of coming straight out with a difficult truth, he often finds a roundabout, gentle and sensitive way of saying it.

Don't misunderstand me. Paul, like his Master could be blunt when the occasion demanded it: read Galatians chapter 1, for example!

In the church at Philippi two sisters, Euodia and Syntyche were not seeing eye to eye. That disagreement, it seems, had produced an atmosphere in the fellowship. You know how it is in a family: when two sibblings are at loggerheads with each other, the domestic air is somehow soured and the first casuality is always joy. You cannot really be joyful if you know "A" has fallen out with "B," can you?

So Paul pleads with Eudodia and Syntyche to agree with each other - and then he tells the church to revive their joy, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice."

Echoes of Disunity

Subtle hints of discord are found elsewhere in this beautiful letter, and especially in the few verses that precede the first Christian hymn we are exploring together from Philippans chapter 2:

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:"

The words "united," "sharing," "like-minded," "same love," "one in spirit," "one in mind," all point to some kind of discord in the church at Philippi. Perhaps it emanated from Euodia and Syntyche, but perhaps their own disharmony was a symptom of the larger problem. We're not told. Paul draws a veil over discord - and so should we.

There are many potential causes of disunity within a Christian fellowship. A wolf may enter the flock bent on dividing the sheep from the shepherds, in order to gather the sheep around himself. Misunderstandings are another cause. Historical grievances are a further. But perhaps the most common source is selfishness: a refusal to take into account the interests of others. When we consider our own concerns over those of others, conflict follows.

I heard of a church that asked the members what colour the chair fabric should be - and people fell out, I kid you not, over colour, "I want them my choice colour not your favourite colour."

Whatever the exact cause in the Philippian church - and Paul in his God-given wisdom does not spell it out - in order to heal the wounds of division Paul brings out the big guns of high doctrine.

This is the point we were making yesterday. Doctrine in Scripture is never used for doctrine's sake. Doctrine, without any exceptions known to me, is always employed for practical purposes.

Here the highest truths about the Son of God are marshalled to teach God's people to stop being self-centred and instead head for humility.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus," Paul says, as he starts this majestic hymn.

When we think about how to behave in church life, we should adopt the same attitude as Jesus did.

Summing it all Up

Doctrine on its own is not only worthless, it is dangerous, for "knowledge puffs up." Doctrine employed for a practical purpose is the kind of knowledge found in Scripture.

In these unusual days, where misunderstandings between believers could easily emerge because we don't have the opportunity to see one another, nor "greet one another with a holy kiss" let us make sure we stay humble and forgiving, united in the bond of peace and possessing the same attitude as Jesus Christ did, and we shall discover in the days to come.

A SONG FOR THE DAY
This is a little known and rarely sung Graham Kendrick song based on the first verses of Philippians 2.

If you are encouarged

In our union with Christ

Finding consolation in his love

Compassion, warmth and friendship

In the Spirit's flow of life

This is how you make my joy complete

By being of the same mind

And loving with the same love

United in the Spirit

With the same goal in sight

By being of the same mind

And lovign with the same love

United in the Spirit

To the glory of Christ

Be sure you do nothing

Out of selfishness or pride

Never seeing past your own concerns

But humbly keep the inetersts

Of each other in your hearts

Seeing them as better than yourselves.

Graham Kendrick

You can hear it HERE.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Our loving Father in heaven,

We thank you for your church, our dear brothers and sisters. We thank you for their love for you and for us and we thank you for their growing faith in you.

We thank you for the sweet blessing of unity.

We thank you for the wisdom of your holy Word. Help us to always keep humble and to seek the concerns of one another, not just our own.

And may the Lord Jesus be glorified  in and through his people today,

In the Name of Jesus we ask all these things,

Amen

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash