What does it actually mean to live for Jesus? It means giving Jesus the centre of our lives. It means belonging to Him, becoming more like Him and joining with His people in His mission. And one of the beautiful things about following Jesus is that we don't do it alone. We are called to live for Jesus together. Paul's letter to the Philippians gives us a wonderful picture of this. Paul writes to a church he loves deeply, and even though he is writing from prison, his words are full of joy, gratitude and encouragement. He tells them:

“You have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.”
— Philippians 1:5

That word “partners” is significant. The Greek word is koinonia, a word often translated as “fellowship”. But koinonia is much bigger than what we might sometimes mean by fellowship. Christian fellowship isn't simply about friendship, coffee, conversations and spending time together. Those things are important, but Paul has something much deeper in mind. Koinonia is about sharing together in something bigger than ourselves. It is the recognition that, because of what Jesus has done, we belong to one another. We are one body, one family and one people. What happens to one affects the other.

When someone experiences joy, we rejoice with them. When someone experiences grief, we stand with them. When someone celebrates a victory, we celebrate with them. When life gets difficult, we don't leave people to struggle alone. That's koinonia. But it also means active participation in the mission of Jesus. The Philippians weren't simply people who had heard Paul preach. They weren't spectators cheering from the sidelines. They were partners. They prayed. They gave. They supported Paul. They remained faithful. They shared the cost, the joy and the struggle. They were in it together. And that is a challenge for the Church today. We aren't called simply to attend church. We are called to participate in the life and mission of the Church. We are called to live for Jesus together.

Protecting the Partnership

The wonderful thing about Christian partnership is that it is powerful — but it is also something we need to protect. Later in Philippians, Paul addresses a disagreement between two women, Euodia and Syntyche. These weren't outsiders. They were people who had worked hard alongside Paul in sharing the Gospel. Something had come between them. Paul's response is striking. He urges them to settle their disagreement. Why? Because unity matters. The Church in Philippi needed to protect the partnership they had in Christ. Their mission required them to remain united. And the same is true for us. There are things that can quietly creep into our hearts and relationships that damage fellowship, weaken partnership and ultimately hinder the mission of Jesus. Perhaps we could call them The Seven Dwarfs of Disunity.

1. Pride

Pride says, “I know best.” “My opinion matters more.” “My way is the right way.” Pride is often the first to speak and the last to listen. But humility creates space for other people to flourish. It removes the need to win every argument and creates an environment where unity can grow. Let's choose humility over pride.

2. Preference

We all have preferences. We like particular songs, styles, traditions, programmes and ways of doing things. There's nothing wrong with having preferences. The danger comes when my preference becomes more important than our partnership. What united the Philippians wasn't that they all had identical personalities, opinions or preferences. They had Jesus. The Gospel is bigger than our differences. Jesus is greater than our preferences. His mission is more important than my ego.

3. Offence

Somebody said something. Somebody did something. Someone didn't invite us, thank us, notice us or speak to us in the way we expected. And we carry it. The longer we carry offence, the heavier it becomes. Paul tells us to get rid of bitterness, rage and anger and to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us. Forgiveness doesn't mean that what happened didn't matter. It means what happened doesn't get to control what happens next. We cannot keep bringing yesterday's offence into today's relationships.

4. Comparison

Comparison looks sideways and asks: “Why them?” “Why did they get that opportunity?” “Why are they doing that?” “Why isn't that me?” Comparison can rob us of gratitude for what God has actually given us. God hasn't called you to be somebody else. Your calling doesn't become less valuable because somebody else's looks different. In the body of Christ, we don't all have the same role — but we all have a role. Comparison asks, “Why them?” Partnership asks, “Lord, what have you called me to do?”

5. Competition

Competition says, “Why are they getting the recognition?” “Why are people celebrating them?” “Why aren't they noticing what I'm doing?” Paul gives us a powerful example of the alternative. Even when other people were preaching Christ with the wrong motives, Paul didn't make it about himself. His response was essentially: Christ is being preached. It wasn't about who received the credit. It was about who received the glory. Jesus gets the glory.

6. Gossip

Gossip can begin with three simple words: “Have you heard…?” But gossip doesn't simply spread information. It spreads suspicion. It damages relationships and can destroy the unity of a church. Proverbs says that gossip separates close friends and that quarrels disappear when gossip stops. Partnership requires us to become people who protect one another's reputation rather than destroy it. If what we're about to say doesn't build someone up, perhaps it doesn't need to be said.

7. Self-interest

We live in a world that constantly tells us to look after ourselves. But Paul gives Christians a radically different approach: Don't look only to your own interests. Take an interest in others too. What if instead of asking, “What am I getting?”, we asked, “What can I give?” Instead of, “Who is going to notice me?” — “Who can I notice?” Instead of, “Who is going to serve me?” — “Who can I serve?” Instead of, “What's in it for me?” — “How can I bless someone else?” When we take our eyes off ourselves and begin looking for the needs of others, self-interest loses its grip.

So, Which Dwarf Needs Dealing With?

The challenge is simple. Which of these seven is most likely to damage partnership in your life?

Pride.
Preference.
Offence.
Comparison.
Competition.
Gossip.
Self-interest.

Perhaps there's another one. The question isn't simply, “What's wrong with other people?” The question is:

“Lord, what is there in me that could damage partnership, weaken relationships or hinder your mission?”

Living for Jesus means more than attending church together. It means becoming a people who are united in Christ, partnered in the Gospel and willing to lay down whatever gets in the way of what Jesus wants to do through us together. That's the power of koinonia. We carry one another. We encourage one another. We pray for one another. We serve one another. We believe in one another. We celebrate one another. We give together. We sacrifice together. We reach our world together. Because we are not simply individuals who happen to follow Jesus in the same place. We are His people, His family and His partners in the Gospel. And when we live that way, Jesus gets the glory.

5 Questions to Reflect On

1. Which of the Seven Dwarfs — pride, preference, offence, comparison, competition, gossip or self-interest — am I most vulnerable to?
2. Is there a relationship where I need to choose humility, forgiveness or reconciliation?
3. Have my personal preferences become more important to me than partnership and the mission of Jesus?
4. Am I actively participating in the life and mission of the Church, or have I become more of a spectator?
5. What is one practical thing I can do this week to encourage, serve, support or bless someone else?