October 11
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PHILEMON 1
17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. – Philemon 1:17-25
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PHILEMON 1 ON FORGIVENESS AND EQUALITY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When you have been hurt by someone you trusted
It may be hard to forgive and forget what happened
The Lord taught us to forgive and to pray for those who wronged us
Humanly, it isn’t possible to grant forgiveness but with God, we can give grace
The mercy he bestows on us is enough for us to give it to others as well
Let us remember how we were forgiven so we can also give it easily.
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are expected to show no partiality
To give preference to others and treat some with biases is ungodly
No matter the status of someone, we ought to give respect to everyone
Just as the Lord treated others with kindness, we also have to be compassionate
When we show partiality, we have made distinctions and become judges
Let us all love one another especially those who are in the household of God.
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REFLECTION
• Why would Paul go out of his way to ask forgiveness to Philemon for the sake of Onesimus? What does he manifest by doing this?
• Do you think that Paul began the breaking down of slavery in this short letter to Philemon? Why or why not?