Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion... (Philippians 2:1 NIV, 1-10-15)

The word of the day is “any.” Do you have any? Not do you have a ton, an overflow, an abundance. Any.

It’s strong irony. We really should have a ton of encouragement from being united with Christ, an overflow of comfort from his love, and an abundance of common sharing and tenderness and compassion.

But Paul says, Do you have any? A smidge. A squintilla. Well, if that is all you have, then make his joy complete by being like-minded and thinking of others as better than yourself.

It’s not a master’s level course, it’s Christianity 101, or better yet, Pre-K Christianity. Like learning to write your letters or count to ten. Funny how often it’s treated like PhD faith, when it should be basic, preliminary stuff.

[Father, help me seek unity in the church, and to put others above myself.]