Philemon
December 15, 2008
Phm 1:15-17 ESV
(15) For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,
(16) no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother--especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
(17) So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
A lot of people will look at the book of Philemon and say that Paul was pretty bold in asking what he did. To me Paul was not as bold as Philemon was himself. Paul was sending him back to his master. Slaves had no rights in those days. They could be beat and no one would care about it. And life could be hell on earth for an escaped slave returned to his master. Paul wanted to do the right thing and to his credit Philemon also did. It would have been easier to just walk away. Live the life of a free man.
Someone once said that character is what you do when no one else is around to see you. What would you have done in this case?
Still working on catching up from sick and accident at work also
