Philippians 4:2-7 (NRSV) I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I write these words on August 14, the eve of our 44th wedding anniversary. Phil. 4:4-7 was our wedding text. I memorized it in Greek as I waited for my afternoon shift to start at UPS in downtown Chicago and met Kathy soon after. But our reading this month includes two ominous verses before it.
“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” Someone was not getting along with someone else! “In the Lord.” We will never be of the same mind on everything. Kathy and I have had to process many issues over the years. Jokes about marriage abound. But it is serious business. So is the business of getting along with fellow Christians. Indeed, it is the same deal. Live by forgiveness. Live by looking at each other as saved and redeemed in Christ.
We all get our feelings hurt, tired of being asked to help or tired of being seen as bossy. One comment in a meeting might be all it takes. We are “outta there!” I worry as a pastor about members who are not here to worship who used to be regular and faithful. I worry about those who want nothing to do with participating. I worry about those who serve and interact and may get turned off by even a single person’s comment or apparent snub. A book I read once said that every member who used to come and quits coming can point to the culminating event. Some point to the preacher as the fault too.
Let’s look at an even more overarching event. Christ died and delivered us eternally. He takes away the sting when the old sinful nature seeks to win. Be willing to be urged to be IN the resurrected Lord, as we are by baptism, getting beyond hurts by placing them in our Lord’s heart. We hurt only ourselves when we hold grudges and slights. Let us all (almost 300 of us) recommit to hearing that glorious gospel and supporting our Lord’s mission at Emmaus, every Sunday (Rally Day, Sept. 7). The Lord reigns.
Pastor Tom Trapp, Mission Pastor
Walking the Emmaus Road with the Risen Lord
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XVI, Number 2, September 2014)