FRIDAY January 21, 2022
Women in the Church
I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
Philippians 4:2-3
Euodia and Syntyche were two women in the church who were having problems getting along. They were not of the same mind. So Paul wrote to exhort them to be in unity and not in disunity––stop fighting! There needed to be forgiveness so that no disunity or schisms continued in the church.
Despite these two women’s issues, women played an important role in Paul’s ministry. They worked alongside him with respect and in unity. Priscilla, along with her husband, and Lydia stand out as two prominent women in the Bible who helped Paul tremendously:
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles (Romans 16:3-4).
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us [Paul, Timothy and Silas]. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us (Acts 16:14-15).
Women tended to Jesus’ needs and provided for Him:
...Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others ...provided for Him from their substance (Luke 8:2-3).
As a woman, ask the Lord how He desires to use your life in His Church.
The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.
~Elisabeth Elliot~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
