For sure we are to fight the good fight of faith. But when it comes to other disputes, watch out! This is a follow-up to my previous post. Before fist fights in the parking lot, there was Euodia and Syntche (Philippians 2:2-3)
Here is the story:
- Euodia was a godly woman who served the Lord faithfully with Paul and was a pillar in the local congregation.
- Syntche was a godly woman who served the Lord faithfully with Paul and was a pillar in the local congregation.
- They got mad at each other about something and could not move beyond their disagreement.
- The disagreement or the impact of their lack of unity was so severe that Paul had to call them out publicly and ask for an intervention to get them on the same page.
What was the issue? I don’t know, maybe Euodia said “Black Lives Matter” and Syntche said “All Lives Matter”. Maybe Syntche said “Defund the Police” and Euodia responded with “Back the Blue”…………I don’t know. But I do know that we present day Christians are allowing our fiercely held beliefs to come ahead of unity in Christ. While we are doing this, we are hindering the gospel.
John 13:35, NKJV: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Now before you ask, “What kind of real Christian could say “Black Lives Matter?” or “What kind of real Christian would refuse to say “Black Lives Matter?” I’ll give you a hint; a person who has agreed that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Lord. Again, people don’t have to agree with YOU in order to be a true Christian.
Please notice that Paul didn’t ask, “Who started it?” “Who’s on the right side of history?” “Whose opinion is uninformed?” “Who is the most worthy?” “Who’s more righteous, intellectual, or the most victimized?”
Nope, none of that. He simply says, “agree in the Lord”. In other words, none of these things matter ahead of unity in the Lord. So just fix it.
Y’all, this is real Christ following stuff right here. For the most part, it is not about what someone did or said to us. It is all about our response and the position of our hearts. Think about it, each one of us has to give an account for our own actions/deed not the deeds of others (Matthew 12:36-37). It’s “funny” how we can love Jesus until He says something that we don’t like. How is it that everyone is a “Christian”, until it’s time to actually pick up one’s cross and follow Him?
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23.
And then they said to Him: “No thank you, Jesus. I’m going to be handling things my way today. No cross for me!”
No, they didn’t say that last line. But unfortunately, we do.
True Story
This week, I am having to “gather myself” because I am ready to go in on some Christian brothers and sisters who insist on upholding white supremacy as normalcy. My blood is also boiling at the donkeys and elephants who insist on ignoring issues of righteousness in order to promote their political preferences/agendas and so forth. I want to call people out for their hypocrisy but guess what? Jesus it the righteous judge, not me. AND, I’m busy trying to tend to my own beam issues (Matthew 7:3-5). The same judgment I try to put on someone else, will come right back to me. So if you don’t hear too much from me, don’t worry, just know, that I’m doing a personal beam assessment.
With that being said, I beggeth thee to join me in putting down self-righteousness and pride and focusing on being of the same mind in the Lord (Philippians 4:2). When we start with Him at the center, we can work from there to understand and strive for harmony with each other. Let me just solve this math problem for you,
1 person +1 person = 2 opinions
Sometimes those 2 opinions will be congruent, other times they will conflict with each other. Conflicts and offenses WILL COME. That is this human life. BUT, how we handle that conflict is what tells the real story. Let’s resist that prideful spirit that will drive us to believe that our personal beliefs are more important than the relationships we have the opportunity to build or keep. I know it’s a tall order, but we can do all things through Christ, right? Or does that scripture only apply to the things we want to do? I think you know the answer to that one. No hints needed.
For the rest of this week:
May we be bold enough, humble enough and wise enough this week to ask the Holy Spirit for help! Ask for help to love and strive for harmony with those in the body of Christ that we strongly disagree with. We have a greater work to do and we must not be derailed.
Philippians 2:2-3
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
blackandwhiteandshadesofgreen 