Syzygus, or Suzy, or Sally or Sam

Tuesday October 14^th, Philippians 4:  1 My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.  2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn't want his children holding grudges.  3 And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you're right there to help them work things out, do your best with them.  Paul is working in the congregation in Philippi .  As in so many congregations, there are conflicts and people are not happy.  Notice how it is not a matter of who is right and who is wrong, what is important is that they learn to get along even if they don’t agree, what a perfect bit of advice for a congregation.  What a perfect bit of advice for our nation.  What a perfect bit of advice for our families.  And, oh, yes, Syzygus, or Suzy, or Sally or Sam or George or whoever you happen to be, since you are right there, give them a hand at working things out.  That is the church’s job.  What I noticed was what was not said.  Paul is not asking Pastor so and so, fix it for them.  It is not a matter of the pastor being the body of Christ and fixing what is wrong, it is a matter of the congregation being the body of Christ and mediating, even if the mediation results in living with differences.  The goal is harmony within the body.  The righteousness of being right all to quickly turns into the damnation of self-righteousness in our lives, in our congregations, and in our nation.