WEEK 3 ● Day 5
READ PHILIPPIANS 2:14-18
Have you ever used the phrase all the things? You know the one: Drink coffee and do all the things. Go to Target and buy all the things. Make all the things, organize all the things, watch all the things, eat all the things. And apparently even Paul liked that phrase! (Okay, okay—maybe he was missing the word the. Minor detail.)
Paul’s “all the things,” though, feels like a pretty tall order. Philippians 2:14 says to do all things . . .
- “without grumbling or disputing”;
- “readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing” (MSG); and
- “without complaining or division among yourselves” (TPT).
1. Let’s dig into this concept of grumbling in the BLB. Grumbling (goggysmos; γογγυσμός, pronounced gon-goose-mas) can also be translated as . . .
This is officially my favorite Greek word because it just rolls off my tongue and sounds awesome. I’ve started saying, “Guys! No gon-goose-mas!” whenever my kids are griping about something. They roll their eyes and don’t get why I love saying it. But hey, they’re too busy making fun of me to grumble . . . so, you know, mom win!
My kids goggysmos about taking the dogs on a walk before school. They goggysmos when it’s time for bed and when it’s time to get up in the morning. And . . . let’s be honest: They’re not the only ones who goggysmos. Right now, I’m grumbling about them grumbling! I goggysmos a lot—while paying bills, while stuck in traffic, while cleaning up something that spilled that no one else bothered to clean up. I grumble about taking the puppy out. I goggysmos while folding laundry, putting away laundry (actually, pretty much anything to do with laundry) . . .
2. Where does grumbling pop up in your life?
Maybe you’re not the type of person to internally grumble about things throughout the day. But the reality is, we all have things that get under our skin and tempt us to grumble. And we can justify it, right? Sometimes the kids are frustrating, or our boss doesn’t recognize us for all that extra work we did, or our friends forgot our birthday. Grumbling can feel earned and cathartic. But Paul is saying here in Philippians that no matter what, and in all things, we are not to grumble. Can we make a conscious effort to stop? Can we make a conscious effort to do all the things with a joyful heart?
3. How are we supposed to do all things without grumbling? (Hint: Check out Philippians 2:14-18.)
Did you find it? If you’re studying out of the ESV like I am, you’ll see that Philippians 2:18 says to be “glad and rejoice.” Through our study so far, we’ve already hit on this concept several times. We are to turn our eyes toward the blessings and eucharisteō (Philippians 1:3-8) in everything we do. We are to position ourselves toward the positive rather than the negative (Philippians 1:24-26).
4. Why are we to do these things and turn away from grumbling, bickering, and negativity? (Hint: See Philippians 2:15.)
My ESV translates Paul’s reasoning for not grumbling as: “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
I love how The Message translates it too: “Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night.”
5. Using the BLB or focusing on the heart of what Paul is saying, rewrite verse 15 in your own words.
6. Why is this message so important to Paul? (Hint: See verse 16.)
Paul wants the truth of the gospel to be spread throughout Rome, Philippi, and the entire world. He wants believers to be known for being light in a dark world. When the Philippians stay away from a posture of grumbling and disputing, they will act as striking representatives of Jesus—which, for Paul, means that all his work won’t have been in vain. Even while he is in prison, and even if he is approaching the end of his life, the Good News of Jesus will continue to spread because of the example of those who follow Him.
We each have an opportunity to carry the light-giving Message out of life’s darkness and into the light. Let’s be known for being different—for loving people well, for choosing kindness and joy instead of grumbling and division. This doesn’t mean being happy-go-lucky or dismissing the very real pain and struggle we face. We can live out a deep, rich, textural kind of love and joy, which emerges through depending on God amid every circumstance.
16 Cling to the word of life so that on the day of judgment when the Anointed One returns I may have reason to rejoice, because it will be plain that I didn’t turn from His mission nor did I work in vain. 17 Even if my lifeblood is to be poured out like wine as a sacrifice of your faith, I have great reason to celebrate with all of you. 18 And for the same reason, you can be glad and celebrate with me.
Approach the throne in humility, asking God to convict you of the things you goggysmos about. Then, write a long list of all the things you’re thankful for. Thank the Lord for each blessing that pours from your pen to the paper—big or small.
Amen.