Faithful Friday Faves: Philemon

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

(Just curious...have you been taught to pronounce the name of this short, very personal letter Fie-LEE-mon or FILL-a-mon?  I've heard it both ways... )

I'm tempted to just put the whole book down as my text for the week; it's only 25 verses; it barely runs over one page in my Scofield NIV.  But I will pick one  bit that stands out to me:

If he has done you any wrong or owes you any thing, charge it to me.  I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.  I will pay it back - v. 18 - 19a

This was a risky undertaking for both Paul and his protegee, Onesimus.  Moral issues of slavery aside, they were dealing with the law of the land.  Both of them put personal safety/freedom/finances at risk to Do the Right Thing under that law.  Paul goes on to exhort his friend Philemon to Do the Right Thing as a believer and follower of Christ...which he had just modeled in taking on Onesimus's debt.

Paul did not ask Philemon to do something costly before he himself set that example.