R-E-L-A-X

One word, powerful meaning. Aaron Rodgers the QB of the hated Green Bay Packers (jk, I am a Lions fan ;) ) was asked after a game how the team was struggling and what they were going to do. Rodgers told the media this one word R-E-L-A-X. People thought the season could be over for the Packers, but not long after Rodgers famously said this word, the Packers went on a great run.

What made a difference?

There was story told in the movie Draft Day about Joe Montana. Before leading his team down the field for the game winning touchdown in the Super Bowl, Joe picked out John Candy in the crowd and said, wow, look at that John Candy is here, that is cool (Paraphrasing). They said it calmed everyone down in the huddle and they went down the field and made history. Because it was in a movie, I am not sure if the story is true or not. I would like to believe so.

Two great quarterbacks, two unifying remarks that changed the course of the team. We have the ability to do this when we unify and not divide.

Paul shares about some people that were close but now were divided. His goal was to unite the people again…

Philippians 4:2, “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.”

It seems at one point these two were close and a great help to the author Paul, yet now they are divided. Paul tries to bring them closer together again. Paul was about unity. Yes, even followers of Jesus have great divisions.

R-E-L-A-X. Rodgers said this and it calmed his team down. What if he did the opposite, what if he in that interview blamed others? How much would that have changed the season? We might not know, but everyone saw the reaction and the response of the team when it’s leader calmed everyone down.

You have a choice today, to bring people together or tear them apart.

Paul pleaded with a couple of Christians to be united, what can we do today to be united with someone we have been distant from?

Have a great day.