Letter #3 - Philippians 1:19-30
by Sandy Leathart
I am recently retired and had already started to ask myself a lot of questions – questions like “Am I being productive?” and “Is this supposed to feel like a vacation or not?” Then those questions began to change to “Do I matter?” which morphed to “Did I ever matter?” My ministry and service to others was tied to my occupation, but now that that was gone, I felt a void. Health issues left me with little energy to pursue something new and the questions of worth loomed larger and larger. And then the pandemic intervened.
I am pretty introverted. As an introvert, the understanding that we would need to pull back on our social activities and isolate ourselves in the interest of public health was not a blow to me. In fact, I might say that I embraced the excuse not to interact with others. I found myself enjoying the new norm of social distancing, while at the same time not feeling very fulfilled.
Paul writes to the church at Philippi from prison. In Philippians 1:18 he says that he rejoices (yes, even in the midst of his difficult circumstances) because Christ is being preached. Paul says that as long as he is alive there is good work for him to do (1:22). Paul knew, despite his past and despite his circumstances, that what gave meaning to his life was that he was involved in God’s work.
My “prison” is social, not physical. It isn’t a hardship for me to quarantine and in fact, should be energizing given that I have plenty of opportunity to regroup whenever I do find myself needing a break from social interactions. But, unlike Paul, I didn't find myself rejoicing in my isolation.
Paul found joy because Christ was being preached. It wasn’t in his circumstances, but in involvement in God’s overarching plan – to love his neighbors, whoever they were – that brought Paul to rejoicing. Paul’s neighbors were fellow prisoners, guards, and the church connections he had established among other believers. Paul shows us an active faith – not one that picks and chooses who to love or that insists on preferred working conditions.
Through this time of self-quarantining, the Lord has been faithful to speak to me. I have been challenged to redefine my life. The Lord began to show me that the only way that one can matter is if they reach outside of themselves. Our lives serve a greater purpose than our own self-interest and our own comfort. This is not a new lesson for me. It isn’t new information. But, to act upon it in this time of my life is the key because I have never had life circumstances that allowed me to choose to be insular. When Paul received his revelation on the Damascus Road he didn’t waste any time finding neighbors to serve.
And so, I began to ask the Lord to show me the neighbors He would have me reach out to. I have begun to reach out to my biological brother who has mostly shunned my communication in the past. I have begun to do small service acts for my elderly next door neighbor. I have been walking beside a woman in her journey following the death of a family member due to the coronavirus. I am actively participating in a prayer group that focuses on racial reconciliation. Suddenly, I am finding joy again.
Paul says we are to live in such a way that we walk “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (1:27) and that for him, “to live is Christ” (1:21). All he did was love his neighbors by presenting the gospel, in word and in deed. How hard is that? I am finding it isn’t really all that hard at all.
