Verse by Verse Devotional on Philippians by Pastor Jack #119

A Good Report


2:25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;


Notice in particular in what a loving way Paul talks of the brethren. Now don’t misunderstand: Paul is not a man who can’t do anything but "nice" (check out 3:2, along with 1Cor.16:22; Gal.1:6-9; 1Tim.1:19-20; and 2Tim.4:14-15). (He was certainly not nice before he met Jesus.) And yet when he speaks of God’s people, he reflects the tremendous value that God places upon His beloved ones in the way he describes them. Look, for instance, at the way he speaks of Epaphroditus. Everything Paul says about this man is without any utilitarian purpose. Everything said is said in order to reveal the love of God.


How does he speak about Epaphroditus? First he calls him " my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier." Not one complement but three: brother, worker, soldier. And not three single complements but three doubles: MY brother, FELLOW worker, FELLOW soldier, each supporting word being used to reinforce his closeness to Paul. Paul is falling all over himself to build up Epaphroditus to the Philippians.


But he doesn’t end here. He goes on to call this man , "your messenger and minister to my need." (Remember that Epaphroditus was sent by the Philippian believers to Paul in Rome to bring a monetary gift along with their love and greetings.) All this is in one verse. Whole days (maybe weeks) go by in which I don’t give out as many complements as Paul gives in this one verse of one of his letters! Some men I’ve met go YEARS without giving their own wives as many complements as Paul in this one verse!


If this was the only place where Paul talked like this, we would have to conclude that Epaphroditus was just an exceptional person. But Paul does this all the time! He just did the same thing with Timothy in v.19-22.


How much do you praise your brothers and sisters in Christ? I hope it’s more than I do.


Lord, help me to fall all over myself to build up others in love. Forgive me for how I have sneered at the concept of affirming others, claiming it is only a result of our modern lust for self-esteem. I see that Your word commands me to affirm my fellow Christians, and to affirm them vigorously . It’s going to take a miracle for that to happen! And that’s exactly what I’m praying for, Lord: a miracle, the miracle of a changed heart, the miracle of a heart of stone being turned to a heart of flesh, the miracle of a selfish heart being melted into love. You’ve done it before, Lord; do it again! Do it in me .