How will you choose to react?

Philippians 1:21-30New International Version (NIV)

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Everyone... I have some big news... News I am pretty excited about.... Here is the big news: Chey and I... we were complimented on how well our kids behaved last night... I know, I know, I didn’t believe it either.  You recall that parenting book I talked about a couple weeks ago called ScreamFree Parenting?  Yea, it’s paying off... We arrived in Pella when the kids typically go to bed so I thought watching the first half of the Hawk game last was going to be pushing it on how long I was going to be able to hang out with some college teammates as we watched the game.  Here’s a side note: we may have threaten to take some of their fun things away for a couple days shortly before pulling into the driveway but that hardly ever works.  Anyway, the kids were incredibly well behaved and typically these kinds of situations give me anxiety but it was an extremely enjoyable night.  The kids behaved well so they deserve most of the credit but my responses in the moments where they may have slipped a little were just as vital.  That’s what I learned from that book:  The key to lowering my anxiety in those situations is not allowing my kids to be in the driver’s seat of my anguish.  My responses in those moments are more vital to their growth than them following the guidelines of social norms which they do not understand fully anyway.  

Bringing this into what Paul is writing to the Philippians as he sits in a prison cell, Paul is saying the exact same thing... “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”  He does not care about the actions of the others and the anxiety, anguish or even perhaps suffering we may have to endure... The Gospel of Christ is most accurately portrayed through our responses in those moments of endurance.  When we look at Christ’s very own actions in the face of those moments, we see how Paul is making his point.  Think about it... How did Christ choose to respond?  He stood firm in the face of persecution.  With His feet firmly planted in God’s word and God’s will the director of His actions, Christ responded by outwardly demonstrating God’s love and grace.  This is where we find our blueprint for living a life worthy of the Gospel.  

I have to admit, I was a little confused by Paul’s opening line of our scripture snippet this morning, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  My initial impression was that Paul thought death was greater than life.  Ripping this scripture from its context definitely can give that impression but doing so isn’t fair to what Paul is trying to say.  If we recall Paul’s conversion story as he walked on the road to Damascus, we see that Christ was the beginning of life.  The beginning of a life lived much differently than he had lived before.  Christ was also the continuing of life because not a day went by that Paul didn’t live in Christ’s presence.  Even in the most frightening moments, Christ had been there to help keep Paul focused.  If we look at Acts 18:9-10 we see this to be true, “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’”  For Paul, Christ was just as important in living as he was in death.  Christ was Paul’s inspiration, his strength, and Christ’s grace made him perfect in view of his weaknesses.  These are things we need in order to live.  As we walk this earth, we have the option to live within the scope of Christ’s love or not.  And when we pass away, Christ’s everlasting love and grace is the reward for living such a way.  

I was confused further as Paul continued, “I am torn between the two (living or dying): I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”  This is one of the many scriptures that we are able to see Paul’s authentic love for his fellow human.  He desires to see the glory of God in death but also understands the good he can do by physically living out the gospel.  In this gray area is where the Christian should constantly find themselves.  Someone once said it to me like this: a Christian life ought to have one eye fixed upon the heavens and the other focused sharply on where they can help on earth.  This is what Paul is saying here, “Heaven would be great, awesome, amazing but God has work left for me here.”  His duty to his fellow human is as strong as his desire to see the glory of God within the realm of heaven.  That is the Christian conviction.  Our duty to our fellow human has to be as strong as our desire to get to heaven.  These two things are not opposites.  Paul is tying life and death together.  The magnitude of God’s awesomeness found in heaven is equal to what is possible by living a life worthy of the Gospel.  I went to The Message translation for some more clarification of that passage, “Alive, I am Christ’s messenger; dead, I am his bounty.  Life verses even more life! I can’t lose.”

When this life is difficult we may lose our focus and concentrate more on our eternal life.  And when this life is great, we may lose our focus of the eternal life.  It may be difficult but as Christians we are absolutely called to very much be a part of both.  Living in constant limbo of the two is where we are called to be.  We are called to actively be ready to help those in need within the realm of our earthly lives.  All the while, keeping part of who we are focused on God.  We most certainly can have one without the other but God’s true glory and love and grace is not found in one without the other.  Paul writes, “I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ will abound on account of me.”  Even though Paul was enduring the suffering and persecution of being in prison, he spoke to the importance of enduring through it.  He speaks not of the actions of those who are confining him, but to his response.  Christ didn’t rebuke those who hung him on the cross.  His reaction to their actions was love and grace.  And if we are truly living worthy of the Gospel, then it also has to be our reaction.