Who You Are

 November 30, 2024

Yesterday, I said it was time to revisit Philippians, but tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent. Maybe it would be better to ponder the wonder of our salvation via God becoming flesh for us. 

Tonight however, I’ll give one last nod to Philippians till after Christmas.

“Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.”

—Philippians 4:2-3 NLT

Yesterday I asked how we work out our differences. I suggested we start by looking in the mirror. So what do you see when you look inside your own heart? Euodia and Syntyche were hard workers. We don’t know anything about their disagreement, but it must have been pretty disruptive to the Philippian congregation. In my experience, it’s usually money, sex, pride, or power. I doubt if this were sexual or financial, so my guess would be pride and power. One thought the other was getting more attention than herself.

How do you feel when someone else gets the credit or the attention? Jealous? Angry? Down on yourself? One of the hardest and most important life lessons we need to learn is that only Jesus has the right to tell us who we are. Don’t let someone else by their words or actions determine how you feel about yourself. Look to Jesus. This is what God thinks of you:

“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you.” —Isaiah 43:1, 4 

Remember: Only Jesus has the right to tell you who you are. No one else, not even yourself.