The Ripple Effect

“I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:2)

In my memory there is a large farm pond as clear as crystal, which is unusual for a farm pond. In those days there were dead, sun-bleached chestnut trees standing around the edges of the pond. Buddies of mine and I arrived there one day for a swim and we all noticed how smooth the surface of the water was until someone skipped a flat rock across the surface. The ripples went all across the pond.

The church of Philippi, when heeding the Biblical writer, had the same placidness as that pond. But two women had an unnamed problem between them, not important enough to mention in the Bible, and the ripples had reached the attention of Paul in prison in Rome. Through their differences they were threatening the fellowship of the church and it had to stop. Left untended people would start taking sides in the conflict.                                                                          

We tend to make our differences with fellow church members of more importance than they are. We’ve all heard them, what color should the new carpet be? What should the new lights look like? And so on.

Hopefully, the admonitions and directives in this letter brought an end to their dispute. The directives in this letter can bring peace to any church - be of the same mind in the Lord.