Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.  Philemon 8-12.

God provides opportunities for us to make a difference. Onesimus (whose name means, useful) was a runaway slave who ran into Paul. Likely Paul shared the gospel and Onesimus saw his life changed. He used him in ministry, helping Paul with his ministry and lending a hand wherever he could be useful. Paul was now sending him back to Philemon, his master and appealing to Philemon that while his slave had become useless to him by running away, he could now be useful.

Paul made an appeal based on their common faith in Christ to accept Onesimus back as a brother in Christ. He was willing to absorb, on Onesimus’s behalf, any loss or damage he had caused Philemon. Paul had made a difference in this slave’s life by sharing the gospel. Philemon could make a difference by receiving him back, not just as a servant but as a brother in Christ. Between them the one who had become useless was now discovering how to be useful again.

Philemon had every reason to be angry and upset with Onesimus. He had deserted his master and abandoned his responsibilities. There was a good chance Philemon would never see him again, except for this divine appointment that Paul had with his servant. Instead, Paul strongly encouraged him to treat Onesimus differently. Paul appealed to their common relationship with Christ and affirmed their commitment to serve him well. To honor the Lord, Paul’s request was to accept Onesimus back and elevated his value by bragging about how much he wanted to keep him but knew it was the right thing to send him back. The opportunity was to reconcile this broken trust and restore their relationship to something even better than what it was.

First, we never know when God will orchestrate a divine appointment with someone at just the right time so that He can use us to make a difference in someone’s life. Those opportunities seem to be rare, but they probably happen more often than we think. Paul was very alert to engage this young man and share Christ with him. We often have more of these opportunities than we realize because life is distracting.

Second, we are often not the only ones God is using in someone life. Paul had a pretty critical part in being used by the Lord to make a difference in the life of one person. But Paul handed him back to Philemon to continue to give the opportunity to someone else to make a difference in their life. (Sounds like a great disciplemaking strategy).

Third, Onesimus, whose name means useful, became useless, and now has become useful again. God is merciful to give all of us second chances. I suspect that Philemon may not have been in the mood to give his servant any second chances and may even have consider “trade negotiation” to sell off his servant to get him out of his way. But Paul wrote a powerful appeal to compel Philemon to do what the Lord would want him to do and not what this offense may have tempted him to do.

Fourth, other peoples failure gives us the opportunity to make a difference in their life. None of us lives life perfectly. We all make mistakes and often rise above discouragement and failure by the encouragement of others. Onesimus needed the encouragement and wisdom to find a second chance to become useful again. We may not want to give encouragement to people. The temptation is to punish them, to make an example out of them so others learn. But Paul was appealing for a different approach that would make a real difference in this man’s life.

I hope you see the opportunities around you to make a God orchestrated difference in someone’s life this week.

Pastor Brad Little