Part of Me; Philemon

May the mumbling commence!

How close do you feel towards your family?  My biological family is spread out over the United States – from San Diego to DC to Deltona.  Geographically speaking, we are far apart.  But, we are still close in our hearts and how we relate to one another over the physical miles.  We care for one another deeply.

Let me ask that question in a slightly different way: How close do you feel towards your near-by family?  You know, those people that you relate to on a daily basis.  For me, these people would include my family-in-love.  These people would include my co-workers.  These people would include my brothers and sisters in Christ at Community Church of Hutchinson.

In many ways, this near-by family is almost as deeply related to me.  They see me from day-to-day.  I see them.  We impact each other’s lives – in both positive and negative ways.  In a very real sense, they are a part of me and I am a part of them.  Some people are like parents to us or grandparents or aunts and uncles or brothers and sisters or like children to us.  And I begin to care deeply for each of them – as I hope they care for me.

It makes me think about the letter that Paul wrote to Philemon.  I especially like the Philips translation and how it brings this type of relationship out.  Read a passage from Philemon:

No, I am appealing to that love of yours, a simple personal appeal from Paul the old man, in prison for Jesus Christ's sake. I am appealing for my child. Yes I have become a father though I have been under lock and key, and the child's name is – Onesimus! Oh, I know you have found him pretty useless in the past but he is going to be useful now, to both of us.

I am sending him back to you: will you receive him as my son, part of me? I should have dearly loved to have kept him with me: he could have done what you would have done – looked after me here in prison for the Gospel's sake. But I would do nothing without consulting you first, for if you have a favor to give me, let it be spontaneous and not forced from you by circumstances! (Verses 9-14)

Paul appeals for his spiritual son, Onesimus (whose name means useful).  Paul met Onesimus, Philemon’s escaped slave, sometime while Paul was in prison.  Eventually, Onesimus began to see to Paul’s needs because Paul was imprisoned.

Paul, knowing who Onesimus was, did not feel right about keeping Onesimus at his side.  Paul knew that Onesimus must return to his master.  Paul also must have known the grace consequences that an escaped and recaptured slave faced – likely death.  So Paul wished to protect Onesimus.

Paul told Philemon that Onesimus is his child – a very part of him.  Would Philemon wish to seek to harm Paul?  And, like any good parent, Paul was willing to take on the punishment and payment for the misdeeds of his child.

Am I willing to risk this much for my near-by family – my family-in-love, my co-workers, my fellow Christian brothers and sisters?  Help me, O God, to form such a strong connection with the people around me that there hurt will become my own.  Make them like a part of my very body and soul.

Then, I will be more likely to act and speak and think in love rather than in distraction or in ambivalence or in frustration or in anger.  The people I am around help to form my attitudes and thoughts and words and actions.  And I help to form others attitudes and thoughts and words and actions.

Let us vow to be good influences.  Let us allow ourselves to be influenced by goodness.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out