A Letter To Phil

I know there are a lot of books in the Bible, and I know we all have our favorites. Some of us stick to the Gospels because we love to read about Jesus and what He did. Others of us like the Old Testament stories of war and victory, so there’s a lot of Joshua & the Samuels being read. Then there’s a group that is obsessed with End Times prophecies, so they stick to Daniel, Revelation, etc. But there are a lot of small books that we overlook… We don’t give them too much attention unless they support our point or argument. The Apostle Paul wrote one of these books (really it’s a letter) to his good buddy Phil (Philemon).
Philemon is a really short letter. Paul gets right to the point! He starts off by thanking Phil for his generosity and love, but then Paul asks for a favor. Paul asks Philemon to reinstate the membership of a wayward brother, Onesimus. Really, Onesimus was a runaway slave…. And not just any slave, he was Philemon’s slave! In those days, you didn’t just bring back runaway slaves, you killed them!! So Paul’s request is kind of a big deal!
Here’s what hit me like a ton of bricks while I read this: Paul doesn’t just ask Philemon to take Onesimus back and put up with him or tolerate him. Paul isn’t asking for mercy or leniency. Paul asks Phil to love the runaway! He doesn’t just say “Don’t kill him,” Paul asks Philemon to treat him like a brother. He asks for Phil to show him love!
Paul even goes on to say that if Onesimus owes anything to Philemon, to charge it to him! Check it out:
If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it. Philemon 18-19a NLT
Paul says that he will personally pay Onesimus’ debt!
Recently, I was in a class on childhood development, and the teacher said something that has stuck with me. She said that troubled children don’t need to be tolerated. They don’t need our patience… They need our love! They don’t need to be “put up with,” they need to be adored. They need to know that there is someone in this world whose face lights up when they enter the room. They need to be the object of someone’s affection.
I think that is the way Paul looked at Onesimus, and that is what he was asking Philemon to do.
That is the way Jesus looks at us. He doesn’t just tolerate us. He doesn’t put up with us. He is not simply patient with us. He adores us! His face lights up when He thinks of us! He loves us!! He has even said, just like Paul, “Whatever debt they owe, charge it to me… I’ll pay for it!”
What a humbling thought it is to know that Jesus loves imperfect and impure people with a perfect and pure love. We are so undeserving…. But so thankful!!