Philemon
Devotion by Jenn Haynes (Ohio)
I’m amazed at how the book of Philemon came to be included in the Bible. I mean, this is a personal letter from one man to another. It wasn’t addressed to a group. And it was giving a simple, short message. It was just a note, really. But sometimes short and to the point is what we need, especially when the message is as radical as what Paul says to Philemon.
In this short letter, we see people in three positions in which every one of us has probably found ourselves.
We have Paul, who shows us how to encourage others towards love and forgiveness. He encourages Philemon not only to forgive Onesimus, but to accept him as a brother. And Paul does this with such love and gentleness. Paul reminds Philemon of their bond and implores him to show love to Onesimus and treat him as he would treat Paul. And he says that whatever debt that Philemon still feels Onesimus owes, should be considered Paul’s debt instead. Paul is showing us how to be Jesus to others.
Then we have Philemon, the wronged party. We’ve all been hurt by someone before and we see here how we should handle it – with love, grace, and forgiveness, just as Christ showed us. And Paul knows that’s hard. When you’ve been wronged and hurt, it’s hard to let that go. But here Paul asks us to not only forgive, but to also love the one who hurt us, just as Christ loves us.
Finally we have the one I think we can relate to the most: Onesimus. Onesimus has run from the one he wronged, and Paul knows that it isn’t enough to ask for forgiveness from afar. He sends Onesimus back to Philemon to do the hard thing. He sends him back to reconcile. Making things right is uncomfortable and even painful. But Paul knows that it must be done for true healing. We have all been Onesimus. We have all needed forgiveness.
And what these three thankfully have in common is that they are all saved by Christ and they are no longer what they once were. Their relationship is new. They aren’t slave and master or teacher and student. They are equal brothers in Christ.
Reflection questions:
When have you been Philemon lately? Is there anyone you’re struggling to forgive?
When have you been Onesimus? With whom should you be reconciling?
How can you remind others of Christ through your speech and your example, just as Paul does here?
Prayer:
I pray that you don’t let awkwardness or hurt or unforgiveness stand in the way of your relationships with other believers. I pray we are united in an effort to spread the gospel message to the world by showing others the power of love and forgiveness.
Seek Grow Love 