Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.”
Philemon 1:8-11
Onesimus, whose name means ‘useful’, was a slave to Philemon, who Paul wrote to in one of those small letters we always find difficult to find at the back of the New Testament!
Onesimus had run away after robbing his master Philemon, and ended up in Rome, where he met Paul while he was serving time in prison there.
Paul appeals as a ‘dear friend and fellow worker’ to Philemon to take Onesimus back, because his heart has been changed by the Gospel, and he is now a dear friend to Paul.
Paul sees the providence of God in the timing of Onesimus coming into contact with him…and how the Lord has been at work in him.
Paul urges Philemon to welcome Onesimus back just as he would welcome his friend Paul.
The Gospel has great power to change our hearts and lives. Is there someone we know we could welcome back after they may have hurt us?