Paul greatly values his link with the Philippian Christians. It is strong and reflected in his prayers with an emphasis on the commitment that represents. As Ben Witherington III (Paul’s Letter to the Philippians) points out: “He could hardly be more emphatic about how often he prays for his audience (always), how many of them he prays for (all of them), and in how many of his petitions they are mentioned (all).”
They mean a lot to Paul. They are a source of gratitude. I wonder who it is who mean a lot to us. I wonder for whom we would want to give thanks to God because of the good things we experience from how they relate to us. They are a source of joy to Paul. Who can we think of who gives us joy, and do we make as much of that as we could?
Paul refers to his praying for the Philippians, but the clear impression is of a mutuality. They ‘share’ in the gospel. The idea of sharing is significant. It represents a commonality of aim, motive and engagement. The gospel is something to which they are all committed. I wonder if we can see our unity in the gospel as overriding those things that divide us from other Christians. This is an expression of partnership, and it seems likely that this partnership is both theological and practical. They share a common understanding of God and the importance of the gospel, but it also seems likely that there is a practical, presumably financial, element to the partnership support that the Philippians offer to Paul. There is little point in saying the right things if our actions fail to match up to our words. People are far more likely to judge us on what we do. I wonder if there are times when what we say is undermined by what we do?
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