Sometimes when I read, I like to take out the extra modifiers and clauses that are part of the text so I can consider the heart of the sentence or paragraph. When I do this with the opening paragraph of today’s reading here is what I come up with.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, … then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. … In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus… (1-2, 5)
Paul is pleading with the church to be of one mind, in other words, to have the same mindset. But interestingly Paul is not instructing them to have his mindset. It is not that they must agree and think like Paul. Instead all the church including Paul should seek to have Christ’s mindset. Jesus is our Unifier and Jesus alone is our Lord. We should strive to be like Him.
And what was true for the Philippians remains true for me and all believers today.
Yes, we should be of one mind, but it is the mind of Christ, not the mind or anyone else. Following this plea Paul gives a vivid picture of the mindset of Jesus…
[Jesus] being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (6-8).
Jesus willingly and sacrificially gave up everything so that we might be saved.
That is the mindset I am (we are) to have… to willingly and sacrificially give up anything and everything for others to know and grow in Christ.
Oh, God, I fall so short of this…. Forgive me. Restore me. Empower me to be like Jesus. Amen
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