“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in
a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care–then do me a favor: Agree
with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk
your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own
advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”
Philippians 2 The Message
Do you hear the plea in the Apostle Paul’s pen? He is saying; I am talking to you. If Jesus has done anything for you, if he means anything at all to you, then please do this.
- Agree with each other
An Old Testament prophet says the only way to walk together is to agree with each other. Agreement requires compromise. It is far more than sharing the same feeling. There are times when agreement means letting go of something or embracing something for the sake of friendship.
Agreement does not mean you compromise your morals, principles, or values, but it does mean that you are willing to agree for the sake of friendship.
Consider how simpler your life would be if everyone in your world willingly chose to agree. This is what the Apostle Paul is asking. For the sake of Christ, will you agree?
- Love each other
Everything the Apostle is asking is wrapped up in love. Everything Jesus, God the son, did, was born out of love. A close personal relationship with the Godhead is dependent on love. Nothing meaningful in life moves forward without love.
- Be deep-spirited friends
Have you ever been so close to someone that you knew something was happening, even though you were miles away? Husbands and wives are meant to have this kind of relationship.
I have friends (as I am sure you do as well) who are covenant friends. There is an agreement between us to pray for each other, to care for and protect each other. Through the years, these relationships have grown, so we know when something is wrong. This is possible because of a close personal relationship with God, the Holy Spirit. There is a spirit-to-spirit connection, and the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray when trouble arises.
This is what it means to be a deep-spirited friend
- Don’t push your way to the front
Self-serving agendas are spotted a long way off. People recognize them almost immediately and are usually turned off by them. Back in the day, before people were so hyper-sensitive, it was called “brown-nosing” because the person was perceived as kissing a specific part of someone’s anatomy to get ahead.
In Christian circles, someone like this is often known as ultra-religious. Their motivation is to appear as something they are not to get ahead.
The Apostle Paul is calling out such a person. Do not be like that.
- Don’t sweet-talk your way to the top
There was a time in my life that I could talk my way into (or out of) almost anything. I could be very convincing about why I needed it if I wanted it. I could be convinced that it wasn’t my fault if I was caught.
I took pride in my ability to talk my way into or out of something. I was an example of how NOT to be a Christian!
There is a place in the Bible that says let your yes to yes, your no be no, leave it at that.
- Put yourself aside and help others get ahead
This is the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. He put aside his position as God the Son to redeem lost humanity. The human brain cannot imagine the price Jesus paid to achieve such a position.
Paul is saying, If Jesus did it, so can you.
- Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage
Fallen humanity is possessed with self-preservation. It requires dying to your will, way, and wants. It is a natural response since Adam and Eve were removed from the Eden garden. Jesus, the son of man, struggled with it, and so will you.
You have God the Holy Spirit empowering you with the love of God the Father and the experience of God the Son to encourage you to succeed.
- Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand
The Apostle Paul concluded where he began. Only after you agree can you love, befriend, and put aside yourself and your desires to extend your hand to assist someone in need.
I hope you agree that our world is growing darker, colder, and more self-centered and self-serving than ever. The shining light of the Christ-follower in a close personal relationship with the Godhead will be the only hope in such a world.
A close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is an unexpected journey of discovery.
Join me in the journey; it will be life-altering.