Philemon 1-21

Philemon 1-21

Quoted section

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

To ponder.

How many of your opinions and judgements of others are still formed by your sense of worth of deserving or another's seeming status in society?

I get a class list each July that I look at and try very hard not to make judgements on.  I think about the children, what I know of them so far, what the family is like (if we know them) and whether I've come across these children around school.  Inside that, are the little judgements.  Who reads at home?  Who always has kit?  Who tries hard?  Who has parents that are interested in the education side of school as opposed to just the babysitting service that we apparently run as well?  Who is on Free School Meals?  Who is earning their parents DLA and is there anything we can do to help that child and do the parents want us to or would they rather keep the cash? (Yes, I've had parents like that, at another school)

I see children who deserve more educational help than *that* child, but won't get it because *that* child has a parent who shouts louder, or is on benefits, or whatever.  That makes me angry.

How difficult is it for you to receive the acceptance of another person?
In the past it has been very difficult.  Being older has taught me that to a certain extent I don't care any more - I have what is important - and to question if I want that acceptance in the first place.  If being accepted means being a 'yes' man, then I won't be doing it just for that.



In the light of these two questions, how does this passage speak to you?

Paul wants Philemon to accept Onesimus back, but not as his slave.  Onesimus is now a freed man, an adopted child of Paul, and would be working for Paul, rather than Philemon.  There's no mention of who would be paying the wages though!   I feel a bit sorry for Philemon - he's got no choices really.  He'll look like an unChristian heel if he refuses to take Onesimus back, but at the same time if he does take him back, the situation is (for a Roman) totally untenable.

God accepts us for who and what we are, as well as giving us the choice to be something else.  Onesimus had been in prison, Paul got him out and changed his status and then let him go back to where he was before in a better position than before.  God rescues us from stupidity if we let him and then makes things even better than they were before.