Philippians 4:1
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

Paul lived an extraordinary life, experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. He impacted a multitude of people during his lifetime and multitudes of people since then through his writings in Scripture. He was a leader and a servant, a persecutor and a prisoner, and in the end, he gave his all for the cause of Christ. Through his letters, both to churches and individuals, we get a glimpse of his heart. He’s writing to these people in the first place because he loves them so much, and he seems to have a particular fondness for the church at Philippi. It is a powerful, deep, and personally intimate love. He counts them dear. And because he loves them so much, he wants certain things for them.

Paul’s love for these people is surpassed only by his love for Christ, and it is that love for Christ and his relationship with Him that compels Paul to exhort, to beseech, to beg  people to do things in their lives that align with being a true follower of Christ and His ways. He lays out the truth of Christ and then expects or anticipates a response. Christ is the central focus, and unity in Him is the goal for believers.

Looking at the language Paul uses to describe these people he is writing to reveals that closeness and connection that has been established.  They are his brethren in the Lord, as close as any blood relative could ever be. They are dearly beloved, holding a special place in his heart. They are longed for, as he just desires to fellowship with them again. They are his joy and his crown, the ones who bring delight to his heart and light to his life. In chapter 1, he describes his desire to be with Christ but also how he longs to continue to impact their lives and to help them continue to grow in Christ. He is thankful for them and prays for them always, surely earnestly and with their best in mind.

So maybe that’s where we start, too. In whatever we’re doing for the Lord—encouraging someone else, preaching the Gospel, ministering in our church, going on a missions trip, witnessing to a neighbor or friend—whatever it looks like, may we start with love like Paul had. A love both for the people around us and one that springs from our love for Christ and compels us to seek His best for them. Paul begged and pleaded with the ones who meant the most to him to stand fast in the Lord. So as we seek to do just that in our lives, may we encourage and enable others to do the same in theirs.