A Piece of His Mind

Angelynn's dog Maggie (Maggie is the the one on the right) used to live for mail time. She would lie on the back of the couch looking out the window for hours waiting for the mailman to come to the porch. When he finally came, she would bark and bark until she had given him a piece of her mind. The she would go back to sleep. Once I accidentally opened the door right as the the mailman came to the porch. She was out like a flash and ran straight to him... skidded to a stop and then ran back into the house. Once she had him, she didn’t quite know what to do with him! Maggie doesn’t do her mail ritual anymore. I guess she finally learned the futility of barking at mailman. (Besides our new couch is too tall for her to jump up on.)

Maybe we experience something of that when it comes to fellowship and Christian unity. We know fellowship is important; we do desire Christian unity. But when it comes down to actually living it out in real life, we don’t know quite what to do with it! Paul says something important about unity in Philippians 2:2, "Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." According to the NIV, Paul tells us we are to have the same mind, love, spirit and purpose. But actually, Paul uses same word for “mind” twice here along with a related word for mind. So the verse could have been translated, “Have the same mind, the same love, a together mind, and one mind.” So Paul, what are you trying to say?

But what does it mean to be of one mind? Well, what it doesn’t mean is that we all must agree with each other on all issues and practices. The only way that will ever think totally alike is if all but one of us stops thinking altogether! But we won’t do that, will we? And we shouldn't do that! The path to this one mind has to do with how treat one another. Paul continues in Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

After calling us to humility and sacrifice, he says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (2:5). The word “attitude” here is the same word for “mind” used twice in verse 2. We are to have the same mind as each other because we all have the mind of Christ! Paul sees the incarnation (see 2:6-11) as the model that we are to follow in real life so that we will have the same mind. If we all reflect the life and attitude of Jesus, then we will have one mind!

No, having the mind of Christ will not ensure that we see every nuance of doctrine the same or have the same preferences in church music. But a Christ-like mind of humility and sacrifice will give us the framework on which to build unity and fellowship despite differences. When it comes to humility and love and sacrifice and kindness… Jesus wants to give us a piece of His mind!