Philemon 1: 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
Paul is sending the slave, Onesimus, back to his owner. He would have liked for him to stay, but he didn't want to be unfair. He wants Philemon to do the right thing because he wants to, not because he feels he must follow Paul's orders.
This is a Paul I would like to meet. He knows that he could keep Onesimus there, but he doesn't want to seem heavy handed. Paul is often heavy handed, and I guess he wouldn't care to hear what a woman thinks, but this gives me hope that we could work out a relationship. He saw Onesimus in a new way, so maybe he could get over his prejudice about women too.
Prayer: I want those I care about to do the right thing because they see it's the right thing. I don't want anyone to say that they believe in You because of social or familial pressure. I hope that Your people will open their eyes and do what is right for their fellow men. Guide Your people, Lord. Help us to do Your will.
Amen
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