As a kid, did you ever hang up posters on the walls in your bedroom of people that you liked or that you wanted to be like?
Athletes, musicians, movie stars, scientists, writers...we look up to people. We see what they do and who they are, and they inspire us, motivate us, and encourage us. We want to be like them.
After reading Philemon Chapter 1 in the Bible today, I decided that I want to hang a poster of Philemon up on my wall.
Philemon was a brother-in-Christ to Paul, and they labored (together and separately) to share the Good News of Christ's salvation with others.
In this letter, Paul, who (himself) is a beast-for Christ--in terms of preaching, teaching, and spreading God's truth and hope to others: Paul compliments and encourages Philemon for encouraging him in his efforts for Christ.
Paul lives (large!) for the Lord, but he is essentially putting a poster of Philemon up on his wall because of the awesome efforts that Philemon exemplifies in living and loving others in God's name.
It's a beautiful and powerful thing to have Godly people-examples in our lives and in our faith-walks, and it is healthy, humbling, and powerful for us to encourage them in gratitude of how they have encouraged us.
Paul did this for Philemon in a handwritten letter:
I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, (2) and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house.
(3) May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
(4) I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, (5) because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.
(6) And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.
(7) Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. ~Philemon 1:1-7
Philemon (no doubt) had a job. He may have had a marriage, possibly children. He had parents, family members, and the celebrations, traumas and sorrows that come with loved ones and daily life. He was like you and me in that he lived in the routine-of-life...but his heart for the Lord led him to step out of life's ordinary tasks to be extra-ordinary in his faith in the Lord Jesus and his love for all of God’s people (Philemon 1:4).
Let's hang up a mental poster of Philemon on the walls of our heart today. I want to be like Philemon.
We naturally look up to certain people, and Philemon is a great poster-child for how to be an active and fruitful child-of-God.
In Scripture, we find Philemon and other examples of those who can be an example to inspire us, motivate us, and encourage us to love others and to live for the Lord like they did.
But how about in the here-and-now? Are there any Philemon's in our lives that we can give props to today? Sometimes, just for a season, someone steps in and refreshes the hearts of God’s people (us), and they make all the (faith) difference for us.
And other faith-pillars are people who have been a part of our lives forever. We've grown up in the faith hearing about their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all of God’s people (Philemon 1:5).
Short-termor long-term influences, we are grateful for those with Philemon-like qualities that encourage us and build us up in the faith.
I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, (5) because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people...
(7) Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. ~Philemon 1:4-7
We naturally look up to certain people, and Philemon is a great poster-child for how to be an active and fruitful child-of-God.
Blessings,
sarah
https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com
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