MONDAY October 18, 2021
Our Beloved Friend
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1-3
With this one powerful chapter, we gain insight into another one of Paul’s friends in the fight. While Paul was in prison, he witnessed to Onesimus, a runaway slave who was converted to Christianity. Onesimus had stolen money from his master and had run away. Paul compelled Onesimus to return to Philemon, his master. Onesimus was to deliver Paul’s letter which told of how Paul had restored and vouched for him. If Onesimus owed him anything, he was to put it on Paul’s account.
Paul considered Onesimus to be a son in the faith. He hoped Philemon his beloved friend, would receive him as a brother in Christ, and not as a slave:
I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me (Philemon 10-11).
Paul was the kind of mentor and friend people valued. He sought to restore a person, not to come against them to destroy their lives. If he saw something wrong in their life, he would confront them in love. As a faithful friend, he would not talk about them behind their back––he would speak face to face to make them accountable.
On one occasion, Paul rebuked the Apostle Peter for returning to the ordinances of the Jewish Law: ...I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed... (Galatians 2:11). He had moved away from the Gospel of grace: Peter’s compromise caused division in the Church.
Paul had beloved friends who joined him on his path in life. God is faithful to connect you with loyal, faithful friends. He can bring into your life a Paul, a Philemon, a Tychicus or an Onesimus, who will truly love and watch over you. They will be a friend who you can trust with your life.
The firmest friendships have been formed in mutual adversity, as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flame.
~C. C. Colton~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!