FEUDING WOMEN Episode 2

Pastor Gabriel kept looking out for Sisters Euodia and Syntyche. Those women had him on his knees constantly. They weren't confrontational but he had learnt a lot about how women could sabotage each other without saying much very early in life. His mother was his father's third wife; this was one of the 'benefits' of growing up in a polygamous home.
For some reason, the Headquarter Church had decided to make them both the deaconesses in charge of the women ministry. He genuinely wished they had sought his input on this one. He would have paired either of them with Lydia; she was more accommodating. Well, Bishop Paul must have been led to pair these amazing, strong women. Actually, they were too similar to get along...
He heaved a sigh of relief as they filed in one after the other, Euodia first. Syntyche looked a bit ruffled but she appeared to be trying hard to keep calm. Euodia looked calmer and Archippus came with her. Phew...Thankfully, Pastor Apollos was ministering today. These amazing deaconesses...
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Syntyche saw Euodia and Archippus walking in, acting all cosy.
"Can't they wait till they get home?", She thought irritably.
If she was honest with herself, she would have admitted that what she really felt were pangs of jealousy. Even in the first 2 years of their marriage, all she experienced with Stephen was turbulence...She always wondered if she would have been happier with Samson, though he was an unbeliever.
Ah! Samson...She quickly pulled herself together and got ready for the business of the day.
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Euodia felt so thrilled. She was so glad Archippus came with her to church today. She was quite concerned about the fact that Archippus wasn't really into coming to church like that. He preferred "fellowshipping" with televangelists. She had asked him if he could call the televangelist in the middle of the night if he had a health challenge. He countered by asking her if she could call Pastor Gabriel in the middle of night if she had a health challenge. She couldn't say yes.
Pastor Gabriel was a good man. It was just that the financial targets kept him very focused on the seeds that members were sowing. Somehow, attending to midnight calls fell very low on his list of priorities. Similarly, caring for the people fell very low on the list of priorities of the leaders too. Everyone was trying to outdo the other with their seeds and win the prestigious church awards. Then, they'll be invited to every event and given positions of authority whether they 'qualified' or not.
Otherwise, how would a woman like Syntyche, who couldn't stay married, be ordained as a deaconess? She was ill-mannered and loud. Infact, she had once slapped a member of her house fellowship who spoke rudely to her. What was the church thinking ordaining someone like her as a deaconness?
If she was honest with herself, she would have admitted that what she really felt were pangs of jealousy. In spite of how well-behaved she was, she hadn't been able to birth a full-term baby in all the 15 years of marriage. She would have resigned herself to fate but the sadness that enveloped Archippus whenever he thought she wasn't looking. She was tempted to try fertility treatments but her understanding of the message of faith led her to believe that it would be an act of faithlessness. Archippus had hinted more than once that it won't hurt if they got tested to know what the issue was but she knew that God would honor her faith and answer them at the appropriate time.
Syntyche flashed a warm smile at Archippus and Euodias shot her a warning look...
Author's Note: Euodia and Syntyche's story is found in Philippians 4:2-3. This is a very very fictionalized version...Stay tuned for Episode 3.