Everything's Possible - Day 15

Philippians 2:25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.
28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.

Paul continues his missive to the church in Phillipi by letting them know that their young man, Epaphroditus, would be coming back to them as well. He has good things to say about this young man and even calls him a “co-laborer” with himself. There is a reason why Paul considered Epaphroditus successful.

While the plan for Epaphroditus had not gone as planned since he had taken ill and was quite severely sick, it was still mentioned that he had been a great co-worker with Paul. Why was that?

In the first-century culture of shame and honor, the situation described in the previous texts could have had a devastating effect on the Philippian's relationship with Paul and Epaphroditus’ relationship with the church. Imagine the embarrassment of sending a highly expected gift only to have it arrive broken and spoiled. The recipient now has the added burden of returning it or informing the giver of the unfortunate outcome. The recipient’s response completely determines how the situation is viewed by the givers.

But rather than castigating the church or criticizing the messenger, Paul gave some of his highest praises to Epaphroditus, making him sound more like a fellow apostle than a servant. He also calls him “my brother,” which left the Philippian believers little choice but to do the same.

This raised the bar for Christian believers back in Philippi, and it also determined the stability of Paul’s future relationship with the Philippians.

When Paul mentions “sorrow upon sorrow” or “grief upon grief,” he regards his current situation with sorrow, and to have lost Epaphroditus would have been a great grief as well. Epaphroditus had taken it upon himself to travel to Paul and take care of him, and for Paul to have his death or even illness on his conscience would have been a deep sorrow for Paul to bear.

I love the phrase “give him the honor that people like him deserve. . .” In other words, this guy has done a great job, and he needs to be respected and honored for his work. It seems to me that too often, those who sacrifice for the church are ignored, or their contribution is somehow expected rather than cherished.

Anytime someone gives of themselves to the church, we should recognize their sacrifice, their talent, and their contribution in a way that lets them know that what they have done is important to the church, to God, and to the community they are trying to serve. Church’s are sometimes very poor at doing this.

1. Have you ever been honored for the work that you do for the church? 
2. How were you honored, and how did it make you feel? 
3. What is the best way to honor a great contribution to the family of God?