Re:Verse passage – Philippians 4:10-23 (day six)
14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. Philippians 4:14
The Philippian church had gone to great lengths to help Paul while he was imprisoned. They were partners with him in the Gospel, and when things got tough they did not abandon him (like many others), but did what they were able to ensure his needs were met.
This is the kind of gritty Gospel Paul has been talking about throughout his letter:
To live is Christ,… work out your salvation with fear and trembling,… I press on toward the goal,… I have learned to be content.
Because of God’s promise in the Gospel, because of Jesus, we keep moving forward with joy. But not only for ourselves. Gritty Gospel living, allows us to freely and kindly, ensure that others do the same. We share in their difficulty.
Joyful, humble travelers never travel alone. With Gospel kindness and grit we nudge each other along, especially when the road gets hard. It’s what we do; it’s what Jesus did, because the glory to come eclipses the difficulty we may face. Our sharing in the difficulty of our brothers and sisters reminds them of that greater truth.
