Lord’s Day Meditation – All Lookin’

For the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

Phil. 2:30

Many years ago, I went with my parents on a tour of some historical sites in the eastern United States. One day we visited a restored home–it might have been in Williamsburg–and entered the kitchen. An elderly black woman, in period costume, sat by the stove, a table of utensils in front of her. My father smiled and said, “So, are you preparing something for us to eat?”

“No suh.” she replied, “This am all lookin’ and no cookin.’”

It was a cute comment–one she had likely used many times. But it reminds me of something more serious: The all too frequent shallowness of our Christianity. Too many of us have a veneer of religion, but it is missing the power and the practicality of living for Christ and consistently demonstrating His love to those around.

Epaphroditus was not like that (Eph. 2:25-30). Paul was in prison, in Rome. And Epaphroditus had come from the church at Philippi to do whatever he could to help and encourage him. We are told little about the background or identity of this man. But there is a theory that he was none other than the Philippian jailer whom Paul led to Christ when he was in prison there (cf. Acts 16:22-34).

While there is no proof of this in the biblical record, it is logical. No doubt the man had a deep affection for the apostle, and a sense of indebtedness to him for how the Lord had used Paul to bring him and his family to salvation. And we can picture a church assembly at which the believers discussed how they might help Paul–and could someone go Rome to be of assistance to him? The former jailer (perhaps now discharged from military service) would have spoken up and offered himself readily, pointing out that he knew his way around the city of Rome.

All this is speculative, of course, but certainly possible. What we do know, is that Epaphroditus had a keen sense that he was representing the whole congregation back in Philippi. Separated from Paul as they were by many miles, there was so much they wanted to do, but couldn’t. And Epaphroditus tried to do everything he thought the others would do if they were there. And he nearly died in the attempt!

This is faith in shoe leather. It shows a dedication to the cause of Christ that is all too rare. More than a superficial religiosity, this is lookin’ with the cookin’ too! And though God may not call upon us to labour for Him to the point where we become ill because of it, His grace and love ought to motivate us to a fullness of dedication in which we make ourselves and all our resources fully available to Him. May He help us to put our priorities in order and do just that. In the words of a Peter Scholtes song we used to sing back in the 60’s,

They’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.