I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Philippians 4:2-3

Most of us are not looking for a fight and many do their best to avoid conflict at any cost. Sometimes friction is unavoidable, so where do we turn when conflict is inevitable?

Throughout his letter to the Philippians, there is an underlying concern for some type of internal conflict, and in the verses above, Paul addresses the issue directly as two prominent women in the church were at odds with each other. We can read a couple of thoughts into the situation.

Apparently, this wasn’t an issue of any kind of doctrinal issue since Paul doesn’t correct either woman. Instead, it was likely some type of personal conflict that was still creating some discord among the people.

In addition to confronting the issue, Paul provides a mediator to “help these women” in their reconciliation. Sometimes a third party can bring some needed clarity and perspective.

Conflict comes from many different sources, right? One person may feel slighted by another or there could be a miscommunication of some sort. The source may be less important than how we deal with the conflict.

So, here’s the real test. How do we respond to the “challenging” person at work? in the neighborhood? at home? Will respond with a Christ-like attitude? Will we stand in His strength? Will we resist the temptation to do things our way?