2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Do Everything Without Grumbling
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare.21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
Years agoI would diligently make a list of New Year’s resolutions that I would sincerely intend to keep. They weren’t anything unobtainable–in fact they were quite simple pursuits such as ‘lose 50 pounds’ or ‘write a bestseller’–you know what I mean ^_^
I found out over time that even with the best of intentions these resolutions would pass or fail depending upon factors other than my own sheer will. Life has a way of altering your plans, however sincerely constructed, and it is nothing unusual to be facing yet another year with unfulfilled resolutions. Approaching 2012 with goals not finished in 2011 seems normal.
I have found out over time that the things that do get done are the normal everyday-living things that never go on a resolution list. You cannot avoid going to the grocery store, or shopping for the family at Wal-Mart. Job obligations certainly do get addressed because money as a reward tends to keep us sharp to task. Taking the kids to the dentist gets accomplished; as does helping with homework. Most certainly working on keeping the home, family and (in my case) church duties implemented become high on the priority list. I think that the deterent to keeping our resolutions list may be in the way that we allow the world to penetrate our fortresses and keep us distracted from accomplishing the really important, life-changing things–such as losing those 50 pounds.
So am I saying that New Year’s resolutions should be banned as passe’? Am I implying that making a list and “checking it twice ‘ should only pertain to Santa? No, because there may be some people out there who determinedly press on until every last resolution is nailed to the board. If you are one of those, I am happy for you. Make your resolutions and then prove to those of us sadly lacking in fortitude that resolutions were made to be accomplished.
I’ve discovered that I will sometimes fulfill a resolution just by accident. In the course of living life some resolutions just find their way to the accomplished pile. You come across an old list and say, “My Goodness, I honestly got that one and that one done”!! That is when the value of making the list appears–when you can smile and say you did it despite yourself.
Commitments, as opposed to resolutions, may stand the test of time, especially if those commitments are a covenant between you and GOD. So, I guess if I can make a list of commitments instead of resolutions I may see them fufilled by the end of the year.
