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This week I only got around to reading three translations. Thoughts again posted by translation...
NRSV
Verse 4 stood out : "Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others." Along with verses 5-8 : "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross."
So the question is, what's my attitude? Not probably in line with this...
Luke 14:33 "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
Give up everything she has... that means my self-righteousness, my dreams, my comfort, my happiness, my free time, my aspirations, my health, my beauty rest... I have to be willing to forgo all these, even the very good ones in order to be His disciple. Lord, help me!
Verses 14-15: "Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world."
Do ALL THINGS without murmuring and arguing ... even practicing, taking out the garbage, washing dishes, scrubbing the toilets, keeping all our family stuff organized... THIS is what it takes to be blameless and innocent before God and the world.
...So I read this on Monday night. And Tuesday morning I got into a *discussion* with my husband (my fault - I started it) in which he mentioned again that I complain way too much about the things that need done and don't spend enough time doing them, so he goes and does them. Um, that's not good. So as of 10 am this past Tuesday there is a one-week experiment running in which I do not complain. At all.
This has brought up some interesting questions in my mind about what exactly is complaining and murmuring? I decided if I mention a problem as part of the search for a solution it is NOT complaining, but if I am mentioning a problem because I want pity or I want out of having to do it or I'm feeling whiny, then that IS complaining. What do you think? Am I on the right track?
Verse 21: "All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ."
Is that what Paul would have to say about me? What can I do to change and seek His Kingdom first in ALL things?
The Message
"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."
That even applies to my husband, our exchange student, my parents, or any of my college students, not just to random strangers...
"Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever..."
Lord, forgive my constant disobedience and sinfulness. What a quagmire!
"Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God."
I need to put forth effort to follow God - it won't just happen.
"Do everything readily and cheerfully - no bickering, no second-guessing allowed!"
So obviously my side of the *discussion* was not that.
"Carry the light-giving Message into the night..."
That sounds so adventurous and courageous!
NIV
Verse 1: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion..."
Being UNITED with Christ should be an encouragement. His love should be a comfort; we should have fellowship with the Spirit. Union with Christ should produce tenderness and compassion. If these things aren't happening, my problem is lack of UNION with Christ.
Verse 2: "...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."
Seems like this doesn't mean that all believers need to agree on everything. But rather that we need to love each other as well as those who do not know God yet, and we all need to be working together on the same goal - spreading the Good News of the Kingdom and making disciples. There are so many different jobs involved in all of that; each person has plenty of room to exercise his or her talents.
(I'm no Bible scholar, so I can't say for certain, but it seems that verses 6-11 are a creed or hymn which Paul is quoting, which would then predate this letter. These might be some of the earliest writing in the NT.)
Verses 12-13: "...as you have always obeyed...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure."
Our salvation involved obedience. Our obedience is imperfect, but we know Christ's was/is perfect - his obedience will stand for ours. Figuring out and working out our salvation involves fear and trembling. Elsewhere we learn that we are to fear only God - so the working out of our salvation involves a right attitude toward God. God is at work, as well as we - our salvation must be a joint partnership between us and God. We are enabled to will and to act in a godly manner - even though our obedience isn't perfect, it seems important that the general trend of our desires and actions is more and more Christlike.
Verse 14: "Do everything without complaining and arguing."
There's that verse again...
Verse 15B-16: "...you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life..."
I was struck by how at the time the letter was written people really did have to navigate their journeys by the stars. So by holding out the word of life - the Message about Jesus - we become the navigation system for the lost on their journey. If I am not holding out the word of life, I am not giving those around me an opportunity to find their way to the Great Destination - and we know from Jesus that the way there is narrow, and the path is hard.
