Principle #5: Take the High Road without Fear

Paul reminded the people of Philippi that encountering difficult people who will rob us of joy is simply a part of life. Dealing with challengers, haters, and opposers is just inevitable. But what is the Christian’s responsibility toward such people? How does our calling demand a higher, more disciplined type of response? The fifth axiom Paul presented to us in these verses not only instructs us on how to respond but on how this response can actually increase our joy.

As citizens of heaven, we are called to a greater purpose. Our language and our code of conduct should be driven by our divine calling. We may be alive on earth, but our souls are vibrating on a different plane of existence. We are called to live distinctively different lives, to stand up and to stand out for our beliefs. We are called to take the high road, regardless of what everyone else is doing.

According to Paul, being a Christian should mean living without fear. After all, when we have been promised eternal life, what do we have to lose? This means we can and should react to attacks with an otherworldly, unnatural response. When we return love for fire, those who oppose us don’t quite know what to do. When we return nastiness with love, it pricks their conscience. Responding in this manner not only changes the course of the battle, but it provides us an opportunity to demonstrate the abundant, overflowing kind of love that Paul suggested we learn to practice. Acting out of love rather than retaliation proves that God is dwelling in us—which ought to remind us once again that we are loved, cherished, and changed by him. And what can increase your joy more quickly than a reminder that you are beloved, transformed child of God?

Bottom line, every time we choose to take the high road without fear, it increases our joy!

Reflect: How naturally do you choose the high road when it comes to conflicts? Next time you find yourself in a situation where you feel cornered or opposed, how might you seek God’s assistance as you formulate a peaceful and godly response?

Pray: Dear God, fill me with the peace and confidence to respond with care to those who might oppose or disagree with me. May your love overflow from me in tense, awkward, or stressful moments, and may those who encounter me recognize your love first and foremost. Amen.