A Free Man: continued from yesterday
Verses 15-20
For perhaps he was for this reason parted from you for a while, that you should have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. But if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (lest I should mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ."
Someone said once "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" (anyway I think that is how it goes)! So what we read about in Philemon is a slave, a runaway slave, that seems to have taken with him, something that didn't belong to him and landed square in the middle of Paul's path. I would suggest that this was an "equal and opposite reaction" to the actions of Onesimus. When I run (from God), I usually run right into Him. When I want to hide my face from the Father for fear or shame, it seems that His face is all that I can see. I'm sure Onesimus thought "so who's Paul? I've got the masters bag of gold, why should I worry about Paul?
But in verse 16 we read that Paul is thinking "no longer a slave...but a beloved brother". The swift feet of the slave come face to face with the "God given love of the Apostle", and the flesh is introduced to the "light of the world".
So Paul says to his friend Philemon, if you still think of me as a friend (partner in ministry), if we still connect with this mission in life, if you share with me the love of the Lord then I would like for you to look at this "new man" as you would look at me. Look at John 15:15 where Jesus says, "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." We have all been made aware of the "secrets of eternal life"! We are not slaves but free men.
Paul goes on to promise to repay any lose that Philemon has suffered at the hands of this now, brother in Christ. He says, "just charge it to my account"! Reminds me of the precious words of Christ while hanging on that tree; "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Lu. 23:34)! And of course, Paul does not fail to make Philemon aware of the cost of this request (lest I should mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).
"Let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ." Help me (Paul) to be reminded that we are children of the King and that we love one another. Help my heart to see Christ in you. Every time I do something wrong and others are involved, it seems like a little voice says to me "are others seeing Christ in you"? Well, do others see Christ in you? Would you say to a store owner, "charge the pants and shirt he stole to my account"!
On pages 64 & 65 of one of my favorite inspirational books, "Six Hours One Friday" by Max Lucado, there is a story surrounding the four million Jews who died in Auschwitz in World War II. A man named Gajowniczek was next to die when Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan priest stepped forward and demanded to speak to the commander. "That no one shot him was a miracle". So Kolbe requested to be killed in place of this poor victim, Gajowniczek. The commander simply replied, "request granted"! Strange how far a man in love with Christ will go for his friend. A very good book by the way, and I highly recommend it. How this relates to Paul's request, I'm not sure right now other than that story is the one God led me to while writing about Onesimus.
I wonder how far I am willing to go for my brother or sister in Christ. Am I willing to give them the shirt off my back? Can I find a way to pay their rent? Will I share my LAST can of soup with someone who has betrayed me? Paul said, whatever he owe, I will pay it back, just "refresh my heart in Christ" by loving this brother as I do.
TO BE CONTINUED
Dave
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