Conduct

DEVOTION

PHILIPPIANS

CONDUCT

Phil 1:27-30

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved — and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
NIV


Whatever happens is a phrase which puts a light in life itself. Does not the course of one’s life flow with ebbs and tides? Do I not have those ups and downs, mountain top and deep valley experiences? Do I not have those moments of hardship as well as times of rejoicing? And here it is, right in my face, whatever happens; conduct your self in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. This does not leave much room for my own pitiful excuses of why I acted or reacted in or to a situation or comment or action by another. How guilty I am, especially in my own personal relationships, seeking justification for responding inappropriately. Dare I question you when I stand condemned of this command? I say no, yet it must be said to all of us, as I fear many have the same failures I do.

Certainly I could assume these people Paul was addressing were living within a culture, a society which was neither conducive nor tolerate of their faith walk and thus were subject to some form of suffering. As I transform my thoughts into this society and culture do I find similar patterns? Again, as I examine the world as a whole I can find those people of faith under such conditions, however, here in this great land of the free and home of the brave I find a certain freedom to worship in the manner I chose. So the suffering I experience now certainly is of a different kind, a personal type, a relational sort, and thus I must conclude, no matter what comes my way, no matter how someone else treats me, or says about me, or judges me, or corrects me, or tells me how I might be wrong in my thinking or actions….I must conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.