Animosity

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Animosity

Saturday, May 12, 2018

“I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:2 NIV)

[One way () Satan robs us of peace] is by stirring up bad feelings toward another person.  Someone abuses us emotionally or verbally, and we start nursing a grudge.  We brood about the offense: I can’t believe () she just walked out on me…  I can’t believe () he didn’t say hello…  This kind of animosity is sure to drain our peace.

* brood; think deeply about something that makes one unhappy.

* walk out; to suddenly leave your husband, wife, or partner and end your relationship with them:

Philippians 4 describes two women in the church //who were out of sorts with each other.  The apostle Paul even put their two names right out /in the open /for everyone to read: … Euodia and … Syntyche.  If you got your name in the Bible only one time, wouldn’t you hate to have it show up under these conditions? …

Notice that these women were not two novices //who had just become Christians /the week before.  They had done many good things for the Lord…  Yet here they were, having a fight.  It was public enough that the apostle went ahead and brought the issue out /before the whole Philippian church.

And he did not say, as we are prone to say in our day, “Well, that’s too bad, isn’t it?  But it’s not my business.  Let them work it out on their own.”

No, Paul wrote /to an unnamed person () he called simply “my true companion” and said, in essence, “Jump in there and do something!”  Get those two women in a room, and say, “Come on—we have to work this out.  No more fighting and fussing.

You hurt her?  Or she hurt you?  Well, we’re not leaving this room /until you two are at peace.  We’re going to talk and pray this through.’”

This is the ministry of peacemaking, which Jesus said was a blessed thing (Matthew 5:9).  He wanted to see his peace reign in people’s lives, especially those //who claim to be his disciples.

A few verses later, Jesus urges that we take the initiative ourselves /when we are crosswise of someone: “If you are offering your gift /at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.   First go and be reconciled /to that person; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).  Restoring peace and resolving animosity is more important than carrying on a worship service, Jesus said. 

* crosswise : crossing something, especially at an angle of 90°.

After all, what good is an offering or a praise song or a fancy prayer if you’re mad at somebody?  How can you honestly sing “We Worship and Adore You” if the “we” includes somebody () you despise, or somebody //who despises you?  What is God more interested in, a song or reconciliation //that leads to peace?

Sometimes we say, “Oh, I couldn’t go to anybody like that.  I’m just not the type.”  Well, then, we’re an unbiblical type. 

God wants us to get peace back in our relationships /so we can then worship him /with open and sincere hearts.

-Pastor Cymbala (excerpted from You Were Made for More)

Read Philippians 4:1-3.