Monday 01 November 2010

Background

As I write this, our television news channels are full ofpictures of happy schoolchildren, rejoicing at having achieved goodGCSE results. There must be some parallels between how thosechildren's teachers feel and the sentiments Paul is expressing inthis passage.

It's a lot easier to measure how well you're doing in some jobsthan it is in others. A car salesman, for example, can count thenumber of cars he's sold in a week. Measuring success is lot harderwith a more 'abstract' line of work such as being a minister. Howdo you quantify how many lives were impacted by that week of Biblestudy you gave, or by the sermon you preached last Sunday? MaybePaul's plea here to the Philippians to "make [his] joy complete"was him needing some reassurance that his teaching had not fallenon deaf ears, but was making a difference in the lives of those whoheard it.

The most striking thing about this passage (and, indeed, the wholeletter) is Paul's fatherly dedication to the Philippian believers.Even writing from a prison cell miles away probably in Rome, hestill feels some responsibility towards their spiritual growth, andtakes this opportunity to encourage them to develop godlycharacter.

To Ponder

Imagine that you're a minister or some other kindof leader. What would the people in your care have to do to "make[your] joy complete"?

Paul instructs us to "be of the same mind". Howdo you go about being "of the same mind" with Christians from otherdenominations (or your own) who might have a different view toyours on certain doctrinal issues?