The Archippus Admonition
Colossians 4:17 has always been a curious verse to me. Paul has just
finished his letter to the church in Colosse. Among the greetings that are
customary at the end of his letters, he throws in what almost appears to be
an afterthought: "Tell Archippus: 'See to it that you complete the work you
have received in the Lord.'"
The Bible doesn't tell us much about Archippus. The only other time he is
mentioned is in the book of Philemon where Paul refers to him as a fellow
solider. I cannot help but wonder who he was and what kind of work he
received from the Lord. And why did Paul feel compelled to tell him to be
sure to finish it?
Bear with me for a moment while I speculate. If Archippus had a special
gifting from God, there were probably those around him who did not
understand that gifting or were jealous of his ministry. Maybe Paul felt it
was important to remind him to hang in there even if his faithfulness did
not make him the most popular guy around.
Another possibility is that Paul knew Archippus had a special gift but was
not using it to the fullest because of insecurities or self-doubt. By
writing this message in a letter to the whole church, Paul may have wanted
to bolster Archippus' confidence by publicly affirming his belief that
Archippus was capable of living up to his calling.
Or maybe neither of these was true. Maybe Archippus was already doing very
well in his ministry and Paul just wanted to encourage him to press on to
greater heights. As an evangelist with an active ministry himself, Paul
probably knew how easy it was to lose sight of the big picture.
We'll never know Paul's true motives or how Archippus reacted, but this
brings me to a question: What is the work the Lord has given you to do, and
do you need a reminder to see it through to completion? Think about it for a
minute. Do you ever feel discouraged or doubtful? Do you ever get distracted
from what you should be doing by all those other things you could be doing?
Some are called to public ministries while others minister daily in more
private, less obvious ways. Maybe your work is to be a good provider for
your one-income family. Maybe your ministry is to be a Christian example in
your workplace or neighborhood. Or maybe as a single parent, your job is to
raise your children as best you can.
Whatever your situation, Paul has a message for you today. Don't give up.
Don't wander into self-doubt. Don't get distracted. This spontaneous message
to Archippus is just as applicable today as it was almost 2000 years ago.
Whatever you are called to do, be sure that you complete the work you have
received in the Lord.
Nancy Twigg
BYLINE: Nancy Twigg is a speaker and author who enjoys
encouraging and inspiring others to live simply. This article is an excerpt
from her new book, A Month of Mites: 31 Devotionals on Simple Christian
Living (www.countingthecost.com/mites.htm
)