“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:1-2, part of a recent epistle lesson from Philippians 2:1-13)
In the midst of all the bad news in our world, it’s enjoyable to hear the occasional story that brings a smile to one’s face. I recalled one recently by accident, and even though it happened over eleven years ago, I was still led to pause and rejoice.
We were still in Hong Kong, and Donna was teaching one of the first-grade classes at Hong Kong International School. Spring break 2009 had ended, and classes had now resumed. Donna celebrated a birthday during that vacation, so she was surprised upon her return to the classroom, that one of her students remembered. A first grader named Zachary recalled the milestone by happily gifting Donna with the “present” of a blue pouch filled with five different marbles and four toy car tires of varying sizes.
She quickly realized that these items were some pretty important “treasures” in this boy’s life. She asked the boy (and later his father) if she should return them at some time in the future because of their obvious importance. The reply was the same: “They mean a lot to him, but it’s more important that you keep them, because he wants you to have them.” Donna’s received many gifts over the years, but she’ll be the first to tell you, that gifts from the heart are always the best. You probably knew that too, even though we sometimes need a gentle reminder.
I wonder if the apostle Paul also knew people sometimes needed a gentle reminder to remember, rejoice and smile. Paul’s short but powerful letter to the Philippians seems to do just that. Yes, even Paul, the veteran of shipwreck, snakebite, stoning and thorns in the flesh was one who was currently in prison and could share with all of us about many days that were anything but happy. And while he could tell us how much he loved the people of the church at Philippi, he was also aware of their disunity and internal dissension, as well as the threat of false teachers and the common belief that the world was coming to an end. He knew they also were surrounded by a world of bad news.
So sprinkled through the letter come gentle reminders like “rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4) and “complete my joy” (2:2). How does one do that? Paul writes: “THINK OF YOURSELVES THE WAY CHRIST THOUGHT OF HIMSELF.” “Remember the mind of Christ?” asks Paul. This Jesus enjoyed all the privileges as God’s Son. But He humbled Himself and became a servant. He sacrificed His life so we might be forgiven and have eternal life. And because of that, there could be real joy, complete joy. One more quick smile story is in order…
In Discipleship Journal Paul Thigpen once wrote: “I remember coming home one afternoon to discover that the kitchen I had worked so hard to clean only a few hours before was now a terrible wreck. My young daughter had obviously been busy ‘cooking,’ and the ingredients were scattered, along with dirty bowls and utensils, across the counters and floor. I was not happy.”
“Then, as I looked a little more closely at the mess, I spied a tiny note on the table, clumsily written and smeared with chocolatey fingerprints. The message was short – ‘I’m makin sumthin 4 you, Dad’ – and it was signed, ‘Your Angel.’”
“In the midst of that disarray, and despite my irritation, joy suddenly sprang up in my heart. My attention had been redirected from the problem to the little girl I loved. As I encountered her in that brief note, I delighted in her. With her simple goodness in focus, I could take pleasure in seeing her hand at work in a situation that seemed otherwise disastrous.” “The same is true of my joy in the Lord. Many times life looks rather messy; I can’t find much to be happy about in my circumstances. Nevertheless, if I look hard enough, I can usually see the Lord behind it all, or at least working through it all, ‘makin sumthin’ for me.” (750 Engaging Illustrations, C.B. Larson, p. 362)
For the believer, regardless of all the messiness in life, complete joy can be found in remembering Christ and living a life that acknowledges Him as Lord and Savior. Joy is found in receiving God’s forgiveness. Joy is found in pursuing God’s will for our lives. Joy is found in giving to others in humility, sensitivity and mercy…in seeking truth and letting God transform our lives. Joy is found by living in the hope of heaven and the heaven of that hope. Joy is found in the lifestyle and attitude of the follower of Christ.
And if we ever forget, all we need do is recall words like those of an apostle who loved his people…or the gift of a first grader who cared about his teacher on her birthday…or an “angel” determined to surprise her dad…and especially a Savior who cared enough about all of us to die on a cross for our sins and rise in victory from the grave. Remember any or all of those smile stories, and who knows? Each and all of our days will be filled with the presence of the One who gives us more than enough reasons for rejoicing.
Pastor Dale Koehneke – October 14, 2020