Beyond Suffering Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 4
Philippians
Contentment. Paul had learned the secret of this attitude, and he revealed it to the Philippians. While under house arrest, Paul wrote this
letter to the Philippians to thank some dear friends who had sent him
money. In this letter he told them about a joy that does not depend
upon external circumstances because it is rooted in Jesus Christ, who
gives it freely. Paul revealed his uncertainty about his future, whether
he would be executed or released. However, Paul’s
trust in Christ gave him confidence to face any cirAUTHOR:
Paul the apostle.
cumstance with grace and contentment.
DATE WRITTEN:
SUFFERING & DISABILIT Y THEMES
Around a.d. 61, during
Paul’s imprisonment in
Rome.
PURPOSE:
Citizenship in Heaven People with disabilities and chronic
pain are not second-class citizens. They can rest assured
that their true citizenship is in heaven. Paul reminds us not
to feel diminished in any way by our sufferings because we
“have been given not only the privilege of trusting Christ,
but also the privilege of suffering for him” (1:28-29).
To thank the Philippians
for the gift they had sent
him and to encourage
them by describing the
contentment he had
found in Jesus Christ.
Contentment Our sense of physical and emotional well-being should not
come from material things. While disease and disability cross all social
classes, today’s high medical costs can leave families struggling to make ends
meet. Things that once seemed valuable become worthless compared to a
healthy child or loved one. Paul urges us to embrace his secret of being content in the midst of life’s difficult challenges by focusing on Christ and our
mission of sharing the Good News.
Joy Joy is a gift of God as well as a practice of faith for all who follow Christ.
Paul repeatedly tells the Philippians to rejoice or be joyful—when life is
good and when life is tough. Suffering can feel like a prison; pain can feel
like it will never come to an end. Joy allows our love to flow, our attitude to
be Christlike, our thoughts to be fixed on the good, and our potential to be
fulfilled in whatever life circumstances we face.
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P R O F I L E
EPaPhRODiTUs Devoted Caregiver
A sk fa m il ie s a f f ect ed by disability about caregivers, and they
might borrow from a familiar Proverb: “Who can find a virtuous and capable [caregiver]? She [or he] is more precious than rubies” (Prov 31:10).
Good caregivers love people and usually become a respected part of the
family and medical team. The best ones embrace their task as a calling
from God, which seems to have been the case with Epaphroditus. He exemplified Paul’s admonition in Philippians 2:12 to “work hard to show the
results of [his] salvation.”
While Scripture tells us very little about Epaphroditus, a closer examination of the details reveals an honorable man and dedicated caregiver.
His church family selected him as a trustworthy person to carry their gifts
and offerings to Paul. We can assume he was a man of courage because his
own life was probably at risk while serving Paul—an unpopular prisoner
with an uncertain future. Epaphroditus also made the sacrifice of walking
away from his own family, friends, and life of comfort for an undetermined
amount of time. Then, like many committed caregivers, who get burned out and exhausted, he became
very ill—so ill he almost died.
Good caregivers
As a result of his nurturing heart, a strong bond
love people well
was formed between the great apostle Paul and this
common man Epaphroditus. What joy and satisfaction Epaphroditus must have felt returning to
Philippi with Paul’s letter tucked safely in his belt. The apostle graciously
acknowledged Epaphroditus’s sacrifice, referring to him as a “true brother,
co-worker, and fellow soldier” whom God had shown mercy through
healing (Phil 2:25-27). No doubt the believers at Philippi welcomed their
brother home with the honor he deserved.
Oh, that today’s church would catch a vision to likewise love and support those who are willing to serve as caregivers. As we value caregivers
and esteem their work done as unto the Lord, we honor our Savior who
was the ultimate model of service and sacrifice for others.
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