Philemon 1
Scripture
Philemon 1:21
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
Observation - What does it say?
Paul is writing to Philemon, his friend and fellow believer, requesting he forgive and embrace Onesimus as a brother in Christ. Onesimus was Philemon’s slave who wronged him and then ran away. He had met Paul, Paul shared the gospel with him and now Onesimus was a solid follower of Christ. It was a huge ask, yet Paul expresses complete confidence in Philemon to do the right thing.
Understanding - What does it mean?
It is important to believe the best about people!
What Paul is asking Philemon to do is no easy thing. Forgiveness is hard! Not only that, but Paul asks him to do away with their master-slave relationship and embrace Onesimus as an equal, a brother in Christ! This was something unheard of in their day. Yet, in a great demonstration of love, Paul declares his confidence in Philemon as he expresses faith in Philemon’s great character.
1 Corinthians 13:7
[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Part of loving others means always trusting and being filled with hope regarding them. But what if their track record isn’t so good?
When Paul met Onesimus he was a slave and a criminal on the run. Yet, he obviously trusted that God could do a work in his life and he was filled with hope for his future. Because, rather than brushing him off as a lost cause, he shared the gospel with him, invested in him, and raised him up to be a great man of God. There is power in believing in people and in God's ability to change their lives!
Life Application
Believe the best about people!
God, may I empower people by calling them higher and believing the best about them. May I always be filled with trust, maybe not always in their ability to do the right thing, but in your ability to work in them to do the right thing. Fill us with hope in our relationships with others, and give us your heart of love for them.
Amen.
- Levi Thompson