I plead with Euodia and I please with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in this cause of the gospel...  Philippians 4: 2-3

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he expressed joy and thankfulness for his relationship with them. Then in chapter four, he takes a brief but poignant detour. He is very concerned about some tension that has surfaced between two women: Euodia and Syntyche. Apparently these women had been fellow-laborers in ministry with Paul, and it broke his heart to see them at odds with each other. He even ask a fellow believer to step in to try to mitigate the conflict. There is a lot packed into these two verses. Here are some of my thoughts. How about you?

1) The one chance these women had to be mentioned by name in Scripture, and it's about a conflict. Ugh. What a way to go down in history. The conflict was severe enough that Paul mentions them by name. How would you like that to be your legacy? Thank the Lord that is not all!

2) It wasn't just about the conflict. Paul describes these women as people who had "contended at his side for the cause." This is a huge compliment, particularly since women weren't looked at in the same way as men in that culture. The word "contended" means more than "helped" or "assisted." It implied that they dove into a difficult, enemy-battling task to support Paul. The grace Paul exhibits by describing their worth takes the sting out of the mention of the conflict.

3) We don't know the cause of the conflict--and it doesn't matter. Sometimes in Scripture, God chooses not to give all the details. (Have you ever wondered what Paul's thorn in the flesh was, for example?) I wonder if that is because our Father wants us to be able to learn from the situation--something harder to do if the details don't match our circumstance. It would be easier to say, "Oh, that doesn't apply to me" if we know the details. Now we can apply and consider Paul's concern and actions without those distractions.

4) Their conflict affected others. Notice Paul's use of the word "plead." This wasn't some  sideline observation of something Paul wanted fixed. He appears to be heartbroken. Evidently the relationship these women had was so special that Paul wanted to do anything to repair it.

5) Paul asks for help. Whoever the unnamed "yokefellow" was, Paul wanted his help. (Again, no detail allows for application to many situations.) This man was trusted enough for Paul to ask him to step in. I want to be trustworthy like that. Would people ask you to help with a conflict? You can be trustworthy if you avoid gossip, if you listen well, if you live your life demonstrating a desire to obey God and care about people.

6) Paul wants them to "agree in the Lord." In my mind, this is a way for Paul to acknowledge that little details may still be disagreed upon, but "in the Lord," in the important things that matter, they can have unity. Often we may not see things the same way someone we work or volunteer with does. But if we can keep an eye on the main thing--the big picture--we can compromise on small details (i.e. such as the decorating scheme for a women's ministry banquet.)

7) Sometimes we need help. It is okay to admit we need an objective third party sometimes, whether it be a counselor, pastor, or trusted friend, to help us navigate a conflict.

8) Not everyone has to be involved, even if they know about it. Paul handles the situation interestingly. By including reference to the conflict in the letter, many Philippians must know about it, and this shows Paul wants to deal with it. However, for specifics, he addresses a "loyal yokefellow" to step in. Perhaps this is Paul's way to acknowledge the "elephant in the room" yet still follow Matthew 18 principles of keeping the conflict circle as small as possible.

9) Paul singles out his plea. Notice he says "I plead with Euodia" AND "I plead with Syntyche." By doing it this way, he seems to place them both on equal footing in regard to the conflict and the equal potential they each have to solve it.

10) Paul immediately follows with a command to rejoice always, and to be anxious never. I'm not sure if that is a coincidence, but isn't it interesting that conflict so often robs our joy and increases our anxiety and Paul addresses this right after referring to a specific incident. Perhaps he felt the Philippians needed to be reminded to take their eyes off of this pretty obvious situation and onto the bigger picture.

We see that conflict is a tool of the enemy among Christians. What other observations do you notice in this passage?