Philemon 18

New International Version (NIV)

If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

For meditation

The line was long at lunch time. This favorite diner in the heart of New York City could therefore not entertain ‘cent-counting’ at that hour. You could tell this young lady ahead of me was not sure of her order, but, pressed by the waitress at the counter, she put one in. She grimaced as her hand quickly rummaged through her handbag. Sensing her embarrassment, I quietly reached over her and put a twenty dollar bill on the counter.

“It’s on me,” I said.

“Uncle Kwame!”

I am yet to receive a hug like I had from my niece that afternoon at the diner.

Maybe not so dramatic, but that was exactly what Paul told Philemon when he went pleading for Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave (Philemon 1:1-25). In a classic appeal for forgiveness and reconciliation on the basis of friendship and love, Paul delicately pulled all strings to get Philemon to forgive and reconcile with Onesimus. He moved Philemon to realize that just as he had been forgiven by God through Christ, he too should forgive his slave who stole from him. God, however, had arrested Onesimus through Paul’s ministry, and so he had become a family member in Christ. Paul then closed his appeal with this clincher:

“If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me” (Philemon 1:18).

Paul was reminding Philemon that as his spiritual father, Philemon had a debit balance on his account with him – Philemon’s “very life” (19). Whatever Onesimus had stolen from Philemon could not write off what Philemon owed Paul. So, “charge it to me,’ Paul said.

I can hear Jesus telling the Father the same thing on our behalf: “Dad, charge the debt of brother/sister … (fill in your name)  to my Calvary account. I have already paid it in full.”

Isn’t that great!

1. Do you see why Paul tells us to forgive others, just as Christ has forgiven us (Col. 3:15)?
2. Who then, owes you a grievance?
3. Can you consider Jesus Christ our Lord, the One who died to work forgiveness for you, and let go that grievance against that person, charging it to Christ’s account?
4. Are you aware that Jesus knows how painful your wound from that person is (Heb. 4:15; Is. 53:3-8)?
5. Do you know that Jesus brings alongside His appeal, the balm of Gilead to heal and restore you (Jer. 8:22)?

I pray you will extend grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation to your brother or sister on the basis of God’s love that worked the same for you in Christ.

So: May you have Christ’s return in focus as you consider His appeal; and may “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Philemon 1:25).

A heart that knows true forgiveness, knows how to freely forgive.

Shalom