“Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.” (Philippians 4:14 NIV).
Paul was in prison. His body was bound, but his spirit was ablaze with purpose. And in that moment of hardship, the church in Philippi didn’t just send money; they sent themselves. Their gift was more than financial; it was relational. They shared in his trouble. They entered into his story. They became co-labourers in the mission of God.
Not everyone is called to cross borders, but everyone is called to cross barriers. The Philippians didn’t travel with Paul, but they walked beside him in spirit. They gave, they prayed, they remembered. Their partnership was active, not passive. In today’s world, missions is often misunderstood as the work of the few. But Scripture reminds us that every believer is a missionary, whether in Dakar or Cuba, in pulpits or prayer closets. We are all part of the sending, the sustaining, and the celebrating.
Paul wasn’t focused on the gift itself- he was focused on the fruit it would produce (Philippians 4:17). When we give, serve, and partner in missions, we plant seeds that grow beyond our sight. Souls are reached. Churches are strengthened. Generations are changed. This is, therefore, a clarion call to us to open our hearts to missions and missionaries, support missionaries with prayer, encouragement, and provision, and step into the mission arena, not with pity, but with passion.
May we be a people who build legacy through partnership, who carry burdens with joy, and who see every act of generosity as a seed in the soil of eternity.
Rev. Moses Abayomi Sodeinde
