Philippians 4 ²I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. ³Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul’s playing peacemaker here. Two hens in the church were pecking away at each other, if you will. I’m sure they were godly women but unfortunately their names are eternally noted in the Bible as squabblers to whom Paul says, “Ladies, squash it.” You know it’s gotten pretty bad because the apostle has to “plead” (v. 4) for their reconciliation in the Lord. He doesn’t order them though he could have as their spiritual leader. Rather, he humbles himself and appeals to their gospel compass which has long malfunctioned.

Some thoughts:

1. E and S used to fight side by side for the gospel, but now they are fighting each other and the gospel is nowhere to be found. Why are these ladies going at it tête-à-tête? Power struggle? Misunderstanding of something said? The Bible doesn’t say. It’s clear though that they are wasting all their time and energy fighting a battle not worth fighting. While they are fighting each other the good fight of the gospel is not being fought.

Rome Thailand is burning. People are dying. There’s work to be done. I wonder if the church today is fighting useless battles as well. Satan has us stabbing each other with swords we should be thrusting into the belly of the beast. We need to get earnestly busy fighting for the gospel and defeating the forces of sin, evil, injustice, poverty, etc.

2. Paul was the kind of person who motivated people to fight for the gospel. “… who have contended at my side” (v. 3). Do you know people like that? When you hang around them, you wanna join in the cause. Che had nothing on Paul. Find people like that and make them your friends. Hang with them so that your wick will catch their Jesus fire.

3. We need to be careful of what happens ALONG THE WAY. E and S used to contend at Paul’s side. Most likely these ladies were leaders in the church who started out the Philippian church plant with Paul. But something happened along the way. They lost sight of the Gospel, of Jesus, and as we see here, of their love for each other.

We need to be watchful of the demon called “along the way”. As we get older we lose passion along the way. We lose our first love along the way. It doesn’t happen overnight, but a string of compromises and heartless religion all adds up. I shudder at the possibility of me, ten years later, looking into the mirror and murmuring, “I used to be fired up but something happened to me along the way.”

The remedy is clear. Revelations 2 says to repent and return to your first love every day. Keep your nose in the Bible and knees on the ground. Jesus will help you along the way, all the way. You can take that to the bank.

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