a life worthy

When Kristina asked me to write a blog for the month of February, I thought that the book of Philippians might be a great way to spend our time. It is a short, very personal letter from the apostle Paul to the believers in a little city on the main Roman military road running east and west across Greece.

The four chapters of Philippians are rather difficult for people who underline or highlight in their bibles: nearly every verse is memorable and important. Lots of ink needed. (...Not that all scripture isn’t important! It just appears that some books, some verses appeal to us in everyday life on an emotional level more so than others. This is true with Philippians.)

It’s a good read.

So, this week, here’s our key verse (among many key verses): Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. (v 27)

If “they will know we are Christians by our love,” then a great way to kill the message is to be unloving.

If our good news, that Christ died for all our sins, is spoken with mixed signals (for instance, which sins we choose to condemn and which ones we’ll overlook) then our news is nothing good.

The implications for our team are clear and many. It’s not who you are on stage that is the measure of who you are. The stage - whether an actual performing arts stage or the implied platform upon which we are viewed by others - masks who we are. It is by nature and of necessity, false. No matter how compelling his character, the actor knows that it is not real: only clever lines, make up and wardrobe.

Or, as it applies to most of us: good lyrics, a great hook and the talent to pull off nearly anything in modern music. But, let’s be honest, it’s not who we are.

I sin. You sin. How are we supposed to live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ?

Paul prayed for this church’s love to grow in knowledge and discernment so that the people would be able to determine what really matters and be pure and blameless. (v 9 - 10)

Growing love defines what is important. It helps us see what is truly valuable.

Ask any young parent: What is important, now that you have the responsibility for a baby? Your perspective changes, because love has changed you. You now know what really matters, and what can wait, and what needs to be dropped altogether.

As our love for each other - and the people we lead and serve - grows, what becomes clear is that who we are is more important than what we do. I care about you as a person, a brother or sister in Christ; not because you can sing well, or play, or have technical expertise.

As a team members we have been given both great gifts and great responsibilities. We are called to serve with excellence, but remember that Jesus could ask the rocks to cry out in praise. Usually He doesn’t. He appears to prefer His children over rocks.

But our excellence ought not stop with our craft.

Excellence in life is what God is after: a heart tender toward God, eager to please Him.

Live a life worthy of the gospel. Worthy of the name “Christ follower”.

For we bear His name.

R