Philemon_

Scripture:  Philemon 1:4-6  “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective [d]through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.” Observation-What does it say?  This is another letter written by Paul.  It was most likely written while he was imprisoned in Rome and at the same time as other letters, such as Colossians or Ephesians.  Philemon was likely a member of one of these churches and a convert directly under Paul.  Philemon owned a slave, Onisemus, who may have stolen from him and run away.  An offense which was punishable by death in the society of the time.  Paul appeals to Philemon’s hospitality and good character to encourage him to forgive Onisemus and accept him back as a Christian brother. Understanding-What does it mean?  We have all had those people in our lives who we feel have done something to us that we feel is unforgivable.  Whether it be a parent, a friend, some other family member, or even an enemy.  Sometimes that action may have even occurred when we were not living in Christ’s love and forgiveness.  And one of the most challenging things in life can be letting go of the pain of being hurt by someone who was close to us.   I feel as though, even in my most difficult times, God has always been extremely gracious to me and I have been extremely blessed.  To be sure, at the moment it was not always fun.  Being in a wheelchair, on crutches, not having enough money to pay my bills, struggling through a time of insecurity, these were not fun.  But looking back, I see that God was directing my steps to where I am now.  Which makes it easier to find trust in God for the future.  Now, I find myself in a place where I can share the things I have with more and more people.  But, where the rubber hits the road is when I am asked to share the blessing with the people who have hurt me. In Luke 14, Jesus challenges us in this exact area.  He asks us to use our blessing to reach people who are less fortunate than us.  “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.  But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:12-14)  God gives us the opportunity to invest in others in order to harvest a great crop for him, especially when it comes to forgiving those who have hurt us.
Life Application:  Jesus, help me to see opportunities to bless others.  Give me eyes to see those around me with your eyes, with the love and compassion.  Help me to be sacrificial in my giving.  Thank you for forgiving me and allowing me to see what this looks like.  Thank you for giving me the knowledge of your love, so I can pass it on to others. 

 

-Tyler Galloway