Welcome to Day 2321 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Philippians-4 Between a Rock and a Hard Place – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 11/26/2023 Joy in Living – Between a Rock and a Hard Place Last week, we continued this month of Joy in Living as we dug into the letter of Philippians in a message titled What a Way to Live! We discovered that the secret to living well is the same as the secret to having joy: the centrality of Jesus Christ. Keeping Him as our top priority in life will give us great joy. Today is our last message in the section of Philippians called Joy in Living, and it will focus on Dealing with dilemmas as we see how Paul found himself “Between a Rock and a Hard Place.” We are backing up to include one verse from last week to set the tone for today. Let’s read Philippians 1:20-30. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. Live as Citizens of Heaven Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Have you ever waffled between two different—and reasonable—opinions, unable to decide which one to hold? Or have you thrown your hands up in frustration because you couldn’t land on a conclusive decision between two equally favorable options? Or have you driven your friends and family mad, seeking their advice about which course of action to take? Or wrung your hands over a decision, worried that you were about to make the wrong one? For most of you, welcome to the club of difficulty when facing decisions or dilemmas. To one extent or another, we’ve all been there. And by “all,” I mean all. From Adam to us, humans have been finding themselves repeatedly “stuck between a rock and a hard place,” facing difficult dilemmas. I’m not talking about choosing between what is morally good or evil. There should be no wrestling with that. I’m talking about head-scratching predicaments that don’t fit into a simple “this is right and that’s wrong” approach. I’m talking about those gray areas that can’t be reduced to convenient black-and-white options. By “dilemmas,” I mean decisions for which there are pros and cons on either side. No matter which box you check or which path you take, something will be lost, and something will be gained. Whenever you say “Yes” to one choice, you automatically say “No” to one or more other choices. In Philippians 1:21–30, we encounter an emotional dilemma in Paul’s mind. It was prompted by his absolute love for and devotion to Christ. On the one hand, in his heart of hearts, he longed to be with Christ personally—to walk and talk with Him in paradise. What a great blessing to be with the Lord! On the other hand, he deeply longed to labor for Him, to invite others into a relationship with Him, and to represent Him as an ambassador of grace to a needy world. Obviously, Paul couldn’t have both. But which did he desire more? More importantly, how did the dilemma draw him closer to Christ? And how did its resolution result in encouragement both for him and for us? We studied a similar scenario in the book of Hebrews, where we played a clip from the Fiddler on the Roof. Paul was at a significant reflection or decision point in life, as he states in verse 22, “Yet what shall I choose?” In this section, Paul employs a rhetorical device known as synkrisis, a this-or-that, compare-and-contrast style that is exercised before arriving at a decision. It’s a deliberative device intended to help the author shepherd the readers toward the same conclusion. But besides simply weighing a decision and resolving a dilemma, Paul is doing something even more profound here with a Greek word, synkrisis—something that contributes to his overall theme of finding abiding joy in the Christ-centered life. While most uses of synkrisis in that day carried a tone of profound pessimism about human life, Paul’s application of synkrisis is disarmingly optimistic! Whereas those without Christ have no hope—either in life or death—Paul’s twist on this rhetorical device demonstrates that the hope of the Christian faith resolves the human dilemma of life and death by seeing the Christ-centered positives in both. To live? That’s to focus entirely on Christ and serving Him. To die? That’s to be with Christ and behold His face. Or, as Paul says, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better,” 1:21 NLT. 1:21–26 Last week, we focused on Paul’s joyful attitude amid unfavorable conditions directly resulting from placing Christ at the center of his life (1:12–20). Because his whole being revolved around Christ, Paul could honestly say that “whether by life or by death,” Christ would be exalted through him (1:20). He sums up this radically Christ-focused approach to life in one of the most profound but puzzling statements in the letter, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better,” 1:21 NLT. Paul’s real dilemma begins in 1:22 with the word but. He longed to be with the Lord in glory… But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. As my prompts indicate here, Paul didn’t know which to choose between a rock and a hard place—not that he really had a say in the matter. Paul wasn’t contemplating suicide. He wasn’t talking about taking his life into his own hands. He was facing a hearing before Caesar’s court that could end up with his beheading—as it actually did about five years later. He was at the court's mercy at the human level and the sovereign God at the divine level. Nevertheless, as Paul contemplated either outcome—freedom or martyrdom—he thought, “If I had to pick, I’m not sure which I’d choose! Yet what shall I choose?” As in all dilemmas, both alternatives had benefits and liabilities. Paul ponders these in 1:22–24. If Paul were to depart, he would be with Christ immediately (1:23). No longer would he endure stonings, beatings, imprisonments, perils, hunger, or restless nights (see 2 Cor. 11:23–27). The nagging “thorn in the flesh” that had dogged him every day would be gone (2 Cor. 12:7). Instead, he would experience rest and repose in the presence of Christ (2 Cor. 5:8). On the other hand, Paul’s death would leave dozens of disciples without their mentor, hundreds of spiritual children without their Father in Christ, and the universal body of Christ without this foundational apostle. Unbelievers would be without his compelling witness to the Resurrection. Believers would be bereft of his encouragement and inspiration (Phil. 1:24). Like any believer suffering great hardship, pain, and the lingering threat of death, Paul longed to be with Christ. But having weighed both prospects, he became convinced that the best path would be to remain for the sake of the “progress and joy” of the Philippians (1:25). In this way, his life became an imitation of Christ, not by following Him in suffering and death, but by surrendering his own interests (to be with Christ) for the sake of others. In the end, Paul didn’t have to choose life or death. This matter was chosen for him by God's sovereign plan and purpose. This is why he wrote, “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,” (1:25). Somehow, it had been revealed to him that he would not suffer the punishment of death but would be released to revisit the Philippians (1:26). How did he know this? It may have been revealed to him prophetically by the Holy Spirit, just as Peter’s imminent execution had been made clear by Christ (2 Pet. 1:14). It’s also possible that the Lord had allowed Paul to catch word through the Roman soldiers of the court’s disposition concerning his case. Whatever the source of his confidence that the dilemma would resolve itself with his release, it was well with his soul. 1:27–30 Paul was convinced that he would ultimately be released to continue to serve Christ and minister to the churches, but the timing and manner of his release were uncertain. Though he longed to see the Philippians and had every intention of doing so, he knew that God was the only One whose opinion counted and whose itinerary would come to pass. So, in case his visit was delayed, he wanted to hear that the Philippians were conducting themselves “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27). The Greek term translated “conduct yourselves,” polite/uomai, has the sense of behaving as a proper citizen. Later, in (3:20), Paul uses the noun form, polite/uma, when he tells the Philippians, “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Regardless of how Paul’s dilemma would ultimately work out, the responsibility of every Christian is the same: to live as citizens of heaven, not of this world system. What does living as a citizen of God’s heavenly kingdom while here on earth look like? First, we stay together in one spirit and mind (1:27). We are to live in unity and harmony with each other. We must avoid backbiting, gossiping, stirring up trouble, complaining, fighting, nagging, and all the other negative behaviors that break fellowship and bruise unity. We’re to be the vaccine to discord /and the antidote to schism, promoting peace and health in the body of Christ rather than debilitating it with poison. Second, we strive together for the faith of the gospel (1:27). The Greek term translated “strive together” is synathleō. From the same root that gives us the word athlete, the term brings to mind the image of struggling side by side in a battle like gladiators or soldiers. It’s a blood-sweat-and-tears kind of term that implies courage, solidarity, and fighting to the finish. Third, we stand together without becoming alarmed by the opposition (1:28). We should never go out looking for trouble, but when opponents step in our paths, we shouldn’t be startled. When they get in our faces, we shouldn’t flinch. We have no reason to shy away when critics croon their taunts against the truth. Instead, we can stare them down in joyful calm. Do you want to see an opponent crumble? Respond to their angry attacks with joy. Sadly, I’ve known many Christians who are scared to death every time a highbrow archaeologist digs up some artifact they claim disproves the Bible. Or they’re afraid when a smiling cultist knocks on their door, shoving heretical propaganda in their noses. Or they almost jump out of the airplane when the person next to them asks if they believe the Bible they’re reading. But there’s no reason to be alarmed. Respond with calm confidence and disarming joy. When we stay together, strive together, and stand together, our united front will draw a clear line in the sand between the spiritual victors and the defeated foes of Christ. Opposition—even the kind that results in persecution and suffering—reminds us, as it did for Paul, that we belong to King Jesus and are conducting ourselves as citizens of His kingdom. Did you notice that when Paul’s dilemma was resolved (1:25–26), he gained complete clarity on moving forward in confident joy? At first, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. As soon as he was out, the rock became his foundation, and the hard place became his strength. When we can embrace joy amid all circumstances—even amid seemingly unsolvable dilemmas—we find ourselves lifted above the fray, gaining a new heavenly perspective for continuing our earthly walk. Application: Philippians 1:21–30 Dealing with Dilemmas Making decisions and choices has rarely been challenging for me, but I understand that is not the case with most people. It is tied to my continuous positive attitude, unrelenting self-confidence, understanding of God’s precepts, and a simplistic mindset. I reason that if a decision and choice I make turns out to be unwise, then it is a well-learned lesson to make different choices in the future based on what I have learned from my unwise choices. And I have had many opportunities to test that theory. Learning from Paula, our kids, grandkids, and many others I have worked with, I understand that for most people, some things in life aren’t easy to decide, even if it appears to be a minor decision to me. There are always benefits and liabilities on both sides. We will all face daily choices and dilemmas for the rest of our lives. I’ve thought about this matter of dilemmas for quite some time. I’ve often encountered them and helped others talk through them. I have categorized them into three groups and will use our personal experiences as examples. First, there are volitional dilemmas. This is when you want to do two different things at the same time. Like you are house or car hunting, you have two equally good choices. Which do you choose? Suppose you have two job offers, and both are very attractive. You want both, but that’s impossible. Those are volitional dilemmas. This was the case when Paula and I decided to move to Marietta in 1980. I worked for Wickes Lumber in college, which is similar to Lowes or Home Depot. After graduation, I continued to work for Wickes in the Dayton area and was placed on a fast-track course for a manager position at one of their locations. They sent me to Michigan for management training, and I scored very high. At about the same time they offered me a management position, Granny contacted me and asked if I would be interested in taking an inside sales position at Crescent Supply (a company my great-grandfather started in 1896). The issue was that it was a much smaller company with limited benefits, and I would be paid a lot less, starting at the bottom of the company, and I was not sure I wanted to start in a sales position. The move did not make sense from a career or financial perspective, but Paula and I strongly felt God wanted us to take the position. The subsequent 44 years of confirmation that it was the correct decision. As a side note, about six months after moving to Marietta, Wickes Lumber filed for bankruptcy and closed nearly all its locations. Second, there are emotional dilemmas. You have conflicting feelings about a difficult situation. This happened when we had to decide whether Paula’s mom should move to an assisted living center.  We realized that our current work requirements, home layout, and medical knowledge could endanger her with the care she needed. While we struggled with the decision, and she understood, it was still an emotional dilemma for all three of us. Third, there are what I’ll call geographical dilemmas. This is when you are faced with the decision to move to a new location. As some of you may know, after we had to close our struggling computer business after 18 years, we worked hard to get back on our feet, which we did by God’s grace.  After going through some difficult years, an opportunity came from a technology company, but we would have to move to the Charlotte, NC, area. While we chose to maintain our home here with the hopes of returning one day, we did live in NC for ten years, traveling back and forth one weekend a month. This move helped us to become financially secure, and we purchased a home in NC, which we liked since it was so much smaller and had no maintenance. One weekend, seemingly out of the blue, Paula and I decided it was time to move back to Marietta. We had not discussed it before that time. Things had changed with the company I worked for over the past ten years, and I was working full-time remotely. It was not easy when we decided to sell that home and move back to Marietta, but it was the correct decision for us and Paula’s mom. Knowing that this decision was from God, we made it, and the move happened within a week, including selling our house in NC since the housing market in Charlotte was very strong.  The decision provided us with the financial security we sought and allowed us to move back. Though all these decisions (and many more during our lives) were challenging, God’s hand worked in our hearts and lives through it all.  As God has helped us work through these and countless other dilemmas throughout our lives, He has also used the dilemmas to work in me, learning to trust Him, wrestle with Him in prayer, and praise Him for His constant guidance through the fog of life. Working through those tough decisions has also equipped me to sit down with others stuck between a rock and a hard place. When we’re dealing with our own dilemmas, we need to take that opportunity to place Christ as our top priority. It’s so easy to get stuck between “this or that” and forget what’s most important in life—“to live is Christ” (1:21). As we evaluate two reasonable (and equally good) options, we should ask ourselves questions like: Which of these is more Christlike? Which will bring Him greater glory? Which will better advance the proclamation of the gospel? In that process, our own personal priorities will diminish, and Christ will be honored.  So when you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, talk through the benefits and liabilities, get counsel from mature, Godly...