Two Friends Wey No Agree

Imagine say dem dey read letter from one dear friend loud for your whole church. And then, near di end, di reader call your name. And di name of di person wey you no dey talk to again.

Di church for Philippi start beside one river. When Paul first come di city, e find some women wey gather for prayer near di water, and Lydia, woman wey dey sell purple cloth, become di first believer there. From di beginning, women dey for di heart of dis church. Years after, Paul dey for chain, and e write one letter full of warmth give di Philippians. E call dem im joy and im crown. But e don hear say something no dey right. Two of di leading women for di church, Euodia and Syntyche, no dey agree.

Paul no scold dem from far. E beg. I beg Euodia, and I beg Syntyche, make una get di same mind inside di Lord. E use di same word two times, once for each of dem, like say e turn look one, and then di other one. E no take side. Nobody tell us wetin di quarrel be about. Wetin dem tell us na how Paul see dis two women. Dem labour with me for di gospel, e talk. Dem fight side by side with me, like people for di same team. Dem names, e add, dey inside di book of life. For Paul eye, dem no be troublemakers. Dem be dear co-workers, but di friendship between dem don scatter.

Then Paul do one wise thing. E ask for help. E turn to one person wey e call im true companion, one faithful partner for di church, and e ask dis person make e help dis women. Some people think say dis one na name, Syzygus, wey mean person wey dey carry di same yoke with you. Whichever way, Paul know say friends wey don quarrel dey often need one kind person to stand between dem and help dem listen to each other. To make peace na everybody work.

And then di letter lift up, like window wey person open wide. Make una rejoice inside di Lord always: and again I talk am, make una rejoice. One man for chain, dey tell one church make dem dey glad. Make everybody see una gentleness, e talk. Di Lord dey near. No worry about anything, but for everything, by prayer, with thanksgiving, tell God wetin una need. And di peace of God, wey pass all understanding, go stand guard over una hearts and una minds inside Christ Jesus. Then e give dem something to fill dem mind. Anything wey true, anything wey get honour, anything wey right, wey pure, wey lovely, and wey get good name. If anything dey wey excellent, anything wey worth praise, make una think about dis things. And put for practice wetin una learn from me, e talk, and di God of peace go dey with una. You fit almost hear how dis one go sound for di ears of two women wey don dey quarrel. No be, who get di right? But, think about wetin dey lovely, and di God of peace go dey with una.

Di book of Acts tell us say when Paul reach Philippi, e go outside di city gate for Sabbath day, go one riverside where people dey usually pray, and e talk to di women wey gather there. Lydia, from di city of Thyatira, open her house for Paul and di people wey dey with am. So when Paul call Euodia and Syntyche by name as women wey struggle beside am, e dey write to one church where women don lead and serve from di very first day.

Two friends wey no agree. You go find dem for Philippians chapter four, verse one to nine. Paul no pretend say di quarrel no dey, and e no take side. E call dem back to di Lord, and back to each other. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. One person dey wey you need make peace with? And who fit help you take di first step?