Challenge: Only Right

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in your will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.  Phil 1:6-7 NASB

When I read Phil 1:7 this morning, the first thing that came to my mind was, “That ain’t right!”  (Yes, bad grammar and all – I am a southerner, after all!)  Think about it – how natural are Paul’s feelings?  Is it really “only right” for him to think this way about the Philippians?  According to earthly standards, no. 

First of all, it’s a hopeful statement.  It is putting faith in people.  That’s not a natural human tendency.  But Paul sees beyond the people and puts His faith in God to accomplish His work through people. 

Secondly, it is a sense of completion found in people who are not experiencing the hardships and trials Paul is experiencing.  He is in prison.  He is limited.  He is suffering because of his boldness to preach in places like Philippi.  They are part of the reason he’s in chains!  Yet, he considers them part of his confidence.  His victory.  His confirmation.  His completion. 

The reason these feelings were “only right” for Paul is because he was free from the world’s perspective of what was right and wrong.  He was fully submissive to an eternal perspective.

I am not there yet.  I am still caught in the middle.  Some things I do have an eternal perspective on, and I have the “right” feelings.  But, with other things I still get caught up in an earthly perspective.  My feelings seem “right” because of my perspective.  But, as I grow, I find them to be more and more wrong.  My challenge is to grow in that eternal perspective.  When I say that it is “only right” for me to feel certain ways, I want it to be with eternity in mind.