God's word in today's world

Feel with, strive with, do with


Philippians 2:1-5

Verse 2 haunts me: 2Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.

What is expected of you and me is more than simply to agree with this verse. It’s easy to give someone space to believe and say what he or she wants to. It may even be easy to say the same and to agree with him or her, but to feel and strive and do with another person is not so easy.

It’s as if we have to align our whole being with the other person. We must feel with them. When others hurt, we must hurt. I struggle with this. I struggle to put myself in the same hurtful place as another person, especially if I’ve never experienced such a hurt.

When others laugh, we must laugh with them. That’s somewhat easier.

Even dream with and looking forward to a brighter future I can do with others much easier, but, man, feeling with them is an uphill struggle.

I often meet people who are alone. People who have no one to feel anything with, strive with or do something with. It’s really difficult for them to get up every day and face life. Because there’s something missing, something big.

We’re not made to be alone. In our innermost being we’re made to be with someone. Yes, we have to feel with one another. We must really strive for the right things, because then eventually we can do things with one another. That is the purpose of life, because two are better than one.

I’ve said previously that I’m not built to exercise, but to love. But to keep up with my eating habits, I have to exercise. Because I eat, I have to exercise, otherwise my scale will really suffer. But it’s not easy to motivate myself to exercise, because my whole being long for just a little bit more sleep – exercise is not even part of the plan. That’s why it’s better to exercise with a pal. I don’t want to be the one making excuses for not going to gym, even though I know he is just waiting for that WhatsApp so that he can also sleep a little later.

Look at what Paul is saying to us here: Together we strive to get rid of our gut, together we feel the pain (in the gym), and certainly we’re doing something with one another. And the result is that we both feel better.

Another friend of mine once sent me the following saying: Together we form three-fold ropes that can remain standing against satan – to fight against satan on your own is sometimes like exercising alone. We get tired quicker than when we exercise with someone.

(How strange is it that he also talks about exercise.)

And while I’m sitting here typing, another pal’s WhatsApp comes through: “I’m sitting here with a heavy heart. Heard yesterday that my job might be at risk.” And just like that on the cell phone lines, with thick fingers struggling to type those little letters on the touch screen, we feel with, strive with and do with one another.

That’s all.

Reflection

Do you feel with?

Do you strive with?

Do you do with?

Prayer

Lord, your Word really guides us. Please help us to not only agree with what is written here, but that we will be obedient and feel with, be with and do with. Amen

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