When Picking Sides

"I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life."

Philippians 4:2-3

Here's what we know about these two women. First, Paul believed them to be true believers, since he noted their names were in the book of life. Second, they were members of the same church and active in the gospel ministry with Paul and others. Third, their dispute was not personal but doctrinal, because Paul always addressed doctrinal disputes directly. Fourth, their divided relationship clearly had the potential to divide the church, which is likely why Paul addressed it so prominently. That also indicates that people within the church had chosen sides.

That's surprising, isn't it? People in the church actually chose sides. Why I've never heard of such a thing. Oh, wait, yes, I have heard of such a thing. As a matter of fact, I cannot remember a single conflict, inside or outside of the local church, in which people haven't picked sides.  He said, she said, they said, we said. Everyone has an opinion, and then everyone takes sides. Always, not usually, but always the whole truth is not what either side says it is. The whole truth is somewhere in between.

Actually, the truth is not somewhere in between the two opposing stories. The truth sits on the throne of Heaven. That's why Paul wrote that they were to "agree in the Lord." That's the only way human beings will ever really agree. We will always be tempted to pick sides in any argument or disagreement. The only way out is to pick the third side, the Lord's side. 

They say that blood is thicker than water, and that's usually true in conflict. We are often tempted to take the side of a family member. We usually take the side of our close friends, even if we know they're not entirely right. 

The only way to deal with the multitude of disagreements that arise as the result of living in a fallen world is to pick God's side, His truth, found in His Word, often made clear by a third party who hasn't chosen sides. Pick the right blood. Pick the blood and the truth of Jesus.