2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

⁶ Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
⁸     he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Dear God, I was watching a video this morning on sibling rivalries in music. It included The Beach Boys, The Carpenters, The Bee Gees, Donnie & Marie, Janet and Michael Jackson, etc. Relationships were complicated. Being the youngest of three, I can see where I’ve spent my life with my siblings fighting for a little respect. Even though the three of us are past middle age, I’ll always be the youngest.

I’m talking about this because of this first paragraph. It’s just talking about people getting along. And the more people you get together the more than can be a challenge. I have a fairly large group of people I work with now, and there are all kinds of opportunities for rivalries, frustrations, hurt feelings, and bitterness. And some of the anger and frustration is legitimate. I’m not saying it’s not. There’s a place for anger. But is it being productive or destructive?

Verses five through eight above are using Jesus as an example, but it’s verses 1-4 that Paul uses to admonish the Philippians and encourage them to be what they need to be for God and for each other:

2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Father, I’ve said this before, but when I find myself being unforgiving or bitter, one of the best things I can do is remind myself just how much I’ve been forgiven of. How much you’ve had to forgive from me. As we have a staff meeting this morning, I pray for your Holy Spirit to be among us, teach us mercy, help us to see each other beyond the veneer of work, and join our hearts together in helping our patients. In our hearts, Lord, be glorified. And I pray for family relationships as well. Help us, Father, to be one. Starting with my marriage, moving to our children and their significant others, and then to the rest of our siblings, parents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, etc. Help us to be whole, and bring healing to individuals and us as a whole.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen