by Kevin Tillman | Oct 3, 2024 | Thoughts
“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.” – John Wesley
Everyone complains about the “younger generation”. As a GenXer (I think?) my generation was looked down on. I was part of the TV generation. We were warned that TV was warping our minds. We saw the rise of technology. Anyone remember the Commodore 64? Yep, I had one of those bad boys. We had a fascination with entertainment and technology. Fast forward to the Millennials or Gen Z. They haven’t known anything but technology. A phone that you can put in your pocket? They’ve never known anything different. They have been brought up in a world where information is not hard to find. Want to know who invented the game of Billiards, simply say, “Hey Siri”! And now, of course we have AI technology.
This is not a blog about “that younger generation” and how easy they have it. To be honest, I enjoy many of these new luxuries. I’m self taught on several things now because of YouTube. It is nice having all of that information available.
It’s so easy to look down on the next generation. It’s nothing new. It’s happened for centuries. It’s always happened. The point of this blog isn’t so much the advances and the technology.
What’s important is our view of the Bible, our view of sin, our view of values, our view of morals. Those are the things that should transcend. And, here is where it gets serious … John Wesley was right, it is our toleration, that leads to the future’s embracing. We can’t blame the next generation if we’ve tolerated it. Think about what that generation will tolerate, and the generation after that will embrace.
What can we do? Well, the most important thing is to make sure we are looking through a Biblical Worldview. It doesn’t matter what my opinion is. It doesn’t matter what the Boomers, or GenX, or the Millennials, or GenZ thinks. What matters is what does God say. What matters is what the Bible says.
There have always been gaps in understanding from generation to generation. Something new isn’t necessarily bad. For that matter, neither is something old. They’re just different. We should teach and train the younger generations, but we should also not be afraid to learn from them. I think the issues come when we focus our energies in the wrong directions. Honestly, who cares if the Gen Zers are using their phone all the time if they have the right worldview? Yes, social media can corrupt a mind. It can change thinking to an ungodly worldview. But, dare I say so can any other form of media. The point is that a proper worldview changes the lens that we are looking through. Want to change the younger generation? It’s not going to come by taking away their phones and technology. It’s not going to come by building a huge fence around them. It’s going to come by infiltrating their hearts and their minds with a proper worldview. Then, and only then, will they be able to face this world and all of it’s challenges.
by Shannon Tillman | Sep 26, 2024 | Bible Study
I do not have a sense of direction. I have found myself lost in my own
neighborhood! I thank the Lord for GPS often. I need specific navigation in my
life. The GPS helps me find my way home. The Lord is the ultimate navigator.
Even when we choose to go our own way, He knows how to bring us back, often
with a creative and even disgusting flair, as we will see in the case of Jonah.
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of
Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
God has a plan for all of our lives. He shows us the steps of the plan along the
way. Just like Jonah, God gives us assignments. We have a choice on how to
respond. We can either accept or reject the assignment. Jonah decided to reject
it.
Jonah 1:3a
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
We know we cannot run away from God. He is everywhere. That is like
pretending you are the invisible man. Imagine if we walked around and said, “you
can’t see me!” People would think we were crazy! (It would be funny to watch,
though!) Yet, like Jonah, we attempt to run away from God. We do things and
think we can get away with them. We never confess it to God; we just pretend
that it did not happen. God sees it. He knows what we have done. He knows
when we get off course.
That is where we find Jonah. He is way off course. He decided to travel to
Tarshish, a city in the opposite direction of Nineveh. God had called him this way,
Jonah decided to go that way. There is God’s way and then there is our way,
which are opposite directions. When we choose our way, there is always a price
to pay.
Jonah 1:3b
He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying
the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
Jonah paid money to run away from God on a boat. Sin costs. It always does.
Maybe it costs us our integrity, time, family, money, friends. Is the sin worth the
cost?
Sin always cost our relationship with God. The amazing thing about God is that
He comes after us. He disciplines us in His love. He does this in order to reconcile
us back to Him. God does amazing things to get our attention.
Jonah 1:4
4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that
the ship threatened to break up.
Sometimes we get mad at God for sending the storm, yet we don’t see Him doing
this in love. Why did He send the storm? We ran away. Cause and Effect. We
cannot blame God for what we have done. Instead, we can make a better
decision in the storm.
Jonah 1:5a
5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the
cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
Innocent people suffered because of Jonah’s sin. The same is true for us. All sin
has consequences, often hurting others. We do not live life in a vacuum. Before
you sin, think about who may be affected by it. There may be people who are
complete strangers to you that feel the impact of the consequences. These
sailors cried out due to fear of the storm while Jonah soundly slept.
Jonah 1:5b
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
Have you ever noticed how sin can physically take a toll on you? We spend so
much energy fighting against what is right that we become tired. We work in our own power, not in God’s limitless strength. That leaves us ineffective for the
Lord’s work. The sailors decide to wake Jonah up to help them.
Jonah 1:6-7
6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your
god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is
responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
The group tried to figure out who caused this terrible storm. Jonah, knowing his
guilt, just shrugged his shoulders with the rest of them saying, “I don’t know.”
When the lot fell on him, he finally fessed up. “Oh, yea, I sinned against God.”
When I was a little girl, I would sneak the cheddar popcorn salt and eat it straight
from the container. (I love anything salty!) One day, my sister asked me if I had
been eating the cheddar salt. I blatantly told her “No”. She told me to go look in
the mirror. I had orange cheddar salt all over my face! I had been caught.
Jonah was caught as well. The sailors asked him about his guilt. The sailors did
not know God; this was their first impression of a prophet of God. Have we ever
considered the impressions we make on non-Christians as they look at our lives?
Jonah 1:8-13
8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us?
What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country?
From what people are you?”
9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who
made the sea and the dry land.”
10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was
running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we
do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I
know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the
sea grew even wilder than before.
These unbelievers did all they could to save Jonah! They risked their lives to save
the one. What a sharp contrast to Jonah who refused to go to the city of Ninevah
because he wanted the 120,000 people there to die! But God does not want any
to perish. He is concerned for the majority as well as the individual. The Lord
worked this situation for good, despite Jonah’s disobedience.
Jonah 1:14
14 Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this
man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD,
have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and
the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they
offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.
The sailors came to know God. The Lord brings people to Himself, despite what
we may do to interfere. I am thankful that the final responsibility is His not mine.
I want to obey His calling in my life but I have often run the wrong way. God does
not need me, but He allows me to be a part of His plan. I want to obey the offer.
God called Jonah; he rejected the offer.
Jonah 1:17
17 Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly
of the fish three days and three nights.
God attempted to get Jonah’s attention in the storm. Now, the Lord goes to more
drastic measures. He does the same for each of us. Is God trying to get our
attention? We need to talk to Him now while in the storm before the fish comes!
Thankfully, God accepts our cry for mercy wherever we may be and whatever we
may have done. Jonah prayed to the Lord from the fish and God heard his cry.
Jonah 2:10
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
God rescued Jonah from the fish and reinstated his call to Ninevah. A rough start
but at least he was now heading in the right direction, obeying the call of the
Lord. I, too, have had stinky messes to contend with because I chose the wrong
way. But I am thankful to the Lord, who gets us back on the right path. Today, let
us just choose His way and avoid the messy detour!
by Kevin Tillman | Sep 19, 2024 | Thoughts
“Did the dentist hurt you when he drilled your tooth to remove the cavity?” “Yes.” “Did he harm you?” “No, he made me feel better.” “Hurt and harm are different,” I pointed out. “When you ate the sugar that gave you the cavity, did that hurt?” “No, it tasted good,” he said, with a smile that told me he was catching on. “Did it harm you?” “Yes.” “That’s my point. Things can hurt and not harm us. In fact they can even be good for us. And things that feel good can be very harmful to us.” – Dr. Henry Cloud
As human beings, we all desire to please self. We do the things that make us feel better, and we distance ourselves from the things that bring us discomfort. But, growth happens in pain. Growth happens in suffering. It hurts to workout, but that’s what makes the muscles strong. It’s a challenge to practice your skill every day, but that discipline is what brings results. Staying on a budget can be difficult, but that management will bring financial freedom.
The quote above points out that the things that make us feel good, can be very harmful. That’s not a hard point to prove, as we see it in so many areas of life. At it’s core that’s what sin is. I’ve heard old-school pastors say it this way, “if sin wasn’t fun nobody would be doing it.”. Sin is in essence doing what pleases us, and prioritizing that above everything else. At that point, our feeling, our emotion, and our desire are all that matters. They are in control. And, of course, that can bring consequences.
Conversely, the quote also shows that things that hurt aren’t necessarily harmful, but can actually be healing. Maybe it’s a relationship that needs to end. It’s a toxic situation. Breaking off that relationship and setting up boundaries hurts, it’s no fun. But, it brings a new level of healing. Possibly it’s time management. Saying “no” to hours of social media scrolling, or TV binging, or any other time waste, can be difficult. But, now there is time that can be replaced.
This doesn’t mean that everything that is fun is bad, and everything that is boring is good. Contrarily, God has given us a deep desire for purpose. At our deepest core we want to make a difference. We want to have meaning to our lives. When we find our thing and start following God’s plan we find new levels of contentment. Our boredom is no longer filled with bad habits and idols. Our time is now valuable and spent on our calling.
So, here’s the practical application … Start today with a simple self question, “what things in my life that are pleasing me, are actually harming me?”. Make a list, then pick the “one thing” that if changed would make the biggest difference. You can work through other things later, just start with one for now. Maybe that one feels like too big of a challenge at this point. OK, start with something else, even something small. Learn the process of denying self. It’s a learned skill. Next, ask, “what things am I not doing in life that if I did would make a major difference?”. Make a list, then pick one.
Life is all about choices. You have the same amount of time you’ve always had, and the same amount you always will have. If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will get the same results you’ve always got. By saying “no” in one area of life, you can now say “yes” in another area of life. This might hurt for a while, but in the end it’s a choice that brings healing!
by Shannon Tillman | May 22, 2024 | Thoughts
When I was around twelve, I recall meeting a beautiful older woman in an airport. Somehow, we began discussing ballet. She asked me questions about dance and I shared about my newly acquired pointe shoes and my love of ballet. I recall her as being so elegant and gracious in speech. Months later, I opened a book from school and recognized the picture as the lady from the airport. She was a prima donna ballerina! I had no idea that I was speaking to a woman internationally known for ballet. She had talked to a shy, awkward youth about her love for dance without having to share about her accomplishments. (Of course, I kind of wish she had, then I would have asked for her autograph. But then she would not serve as the excellent example for this blog post!)
Humility is a beautiful quality that truly is astounding to see. We live in a culture that enjoys showing off. When humility is shown, it stands against the world demanding to be seen, heard, and recognized. Often, the ones who deserve accolades make themselves more endearing by not believing they should be honored. Moses gives an amazing portrait in humility in the midst of experiencing a spiritual miracle that no one else had ever seen.
Exodus 34:29-33
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
Moses had the honor of talking to the Lord, face to face, like talking to a friend. These encounters with God caused him to shine, to reflect the glory from being in the divine presence. His countenance was so brilliant that an entire nation attempted to run away from him! Yet, Moses called to them to share the message he had received from God for Israel.
Moses allowed the shining of his face to confirm the word of the Lord to the people. However, Moses refused to allow the shine to confirm his own words, to give false authority to anything he might speak. In other words, Moses did not use the shine to manipulate or control others. Only when he knew the word was directly from God would he allow his brilliant face to show.
I marvel at this because I have seen the opposite so many times. I witnessed “church leaders” use their words as manipulation tools. These men expressed their opinions and frustrations but added their own version of “thus sayeth the Lord.” I recall one “church leader” that would use social media as a weapon against anyone who dared to challenge him. He would spiritualize his agenda, but it was a façade for his own pride. Yet, Moses who had a physical manifestation of the glory of God refused to use the words or ways of the Lord to bolster his own agendas, opinions, or thoughts. How many of us would let the shine be used to make others cater to our own opinions? “I have the shine of God on me, what do you have?” Instead, Moses would remove the veil when speaking on behalf of God, and then put the veil on the rest of the time so it would not be confused as what was of God and what was not.
Moses was willing to be inconvenienced by the veil. It would have muffled his regular speech, been a barrier in eating, irritated his face, and looked awkward in appearance. Yet, he would not let the shine confirm him as a person but only confirm the word of the Lord. He was willing to be uncomfortable in order to distinguish between the words of God and the words of Moses. He wanted to ensure that only God would receive the glory for the words during the “shine”.
Exodus 34: 34-35
But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.
The manifestations of God in our lives are to confirm the Lord to others, not to edify ourselves. We must inconvenience ourselves to guard the glory. What if Moses said a harsh word as the shine was fading on his face? Imagine the pain and the confusion that would have caused others! It was as if Moses was saying “these unveiled moments are of God, but sometimes the veiled moments are just me. So don’t confuse the words of God coming through a man to the words coming through a man used by God but at times fails.”
May we all show the humility of Moses with our words. Let the words of God shine brilliantly and let our words simply fade away.
by Shannon Tillman | May 15, 2024 | Thoughts
My mom enjoys science fiction. She used to watch episodes of the TV show “Star Trek”. When an enemy vessel would approach, the captain would say “shields up” and some sort of force field would be employed to protect the ship.
I had difficulty even writing that paragraph because I am not a sci-fi fan. I prefer a biography any day. I love learning about people and events. However, there are some passages in the Bible that feel more like a sci-fi movie than historical fact. Truth is stranger than fiction.
In the book of Exodus, the ten plagues ravaged Egypt. Pharoah refused to let the Israelites leave the country so the Lord allowed plague after plague to hit the nation. In the first six plagues the people experienced water turning to blood, frogs invading the land, gnats swarming around, flies covering everything, livestock dying, and skin boils causing extreme pain to the people. The seventh plague sent to Egypt was hail.
Exodus 9:22-26
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.
This was a storm of enormous proportions. The hail killed both animals and people in the fields. Miraculously, in the plague of hail, Moses and Aaron traveled freely to Pharoah without suffering any harm.
Exodus 9:27-29
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.” Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.
Moses and Aaron walked out of a city ravished by hail without a problem. I imagine huge hailstones falling within feet of them but they could walk in the confidence of God’s protection. It was as if the Captain of the Universe said “shields up” and Moses and Aaron were completely covered. Moses and Aaron walked in faith of God’s care for them.
When we are in God’s will, He protects us. Even in judgment against a nation, the Lord can provide supernatural covering over us. This covering provided another testimony to the people of Egypt. They saw Aaron and Moses walking through the land unharmed. Animals and people outside had died, but not these two men. It clearly proved the message that the Lord was the true God, while the gods of Egypt were nothing and could not provide security or help.
When others see how God cares for us even during difficult times, we will be able to share with them our testimonies of the Lord’s protection and rescue during our lives. We can walk through the storm without harm. We may see the lightning, feel the wind and rain, but what could knock us over or take us out is not allowed to come near us. God is our shield in the storm. We can trust Him not only to walk us through, but also to pray for others in their storms, just as Moses did.
Exodus 9:29
Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.
Our safety in the midst of the storm allows us to pray for others in the storm so that the Lord is glorified. He protects, rescues, and delivers us from the storms, even ones we ourselves have caused. Whatever storm you are in, trust the Lord to guide you safely through. Shields up!
by Shannon Tillman | May 8, 2024 | Thoughts
My family does not like it when I am in control of the remote control. I always pick a biography to watch. I enjoy learning about the lives of others. I am inspired by how people persevered in their difficulties and chose to make a difference despite the obstacles. I cry during the stories while the family waits for a moment to wrestle the remote control from me.
Recently, when I had the remote, I picked a documentary on Charles Wesley. Charles lived in England during the 1700s. He was a clergyman, hymn writer, poet. He and his brother, John Wesley, began the Methodist movement. Charles wrote close to 9,000 hymns over a course of fifty years. They said he averaged around ten poetic lines a day to accomplish this feat.
The documentary was broken into segments, one being the hymns, others being topics such as early life, education, conversion, family, etc. However, I believed that separating the hymn accomplishment was a disservice to Charles Wesley. Because when you put the poems next to his life, it is even more of a marvel to realize he wrote ten lines a day.
Charles was married to Sarah Gwynne. They had eight children together. However, five of their children died and never reached adulthood. Charles wrote ten lines of Christian poetry a day. The documentary stated that their children that did live did not share the same faith and one lived in rebellion. Yet, Charles wrote songs to the Lord, ten lines, every day. While preaching, Charles was often barred from pulpits, despised by many church leaders. Yet, he wrote ten lines of a hymn daily. He was attacked by mobs while preaching in open fields and had objects and mud thrown at him. Charles wrote his ten lines of poetry. His brother and he had heated arguments and painful separations. Charles still penned his ten lines of praise. He dealt with serious illness. Somehow, the ten lines were written each day. His wife almost died of smallpox, which did take the life of one of his sons, and she was scarred horribly by the disease. And Charles wrote his ten lines each day.
In the midst of pain, Charles wrote hymns of praise, or sorrow, of searching out God’s heart. That is his true legacy. He pressed into the heart of God in the pain instead of closing off the Lord because of his difficulties. Around the world, his songs are song hundreds of years after they are written. The one that would be most recognized today would be “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. He wrote these hymns, line by line, day by day despite his losses and pain.
We all suffer difficulties. We choose our response. We may not be writers, poets, hymn writers. But each day we can choose our “ten lines” of praise. Maybe it is prayer, a song, a psalm, a Scripture, or a quiet commitment to trust God in the heartaches of life. Charles Wesley is an example of this to us.
That is the reason why I believe I should have the remote control more often! We can learn and apply spiritual lessons from those who have gone before us. Give me the remote!
by Shannon Tillman | May 1, 2024 | Thoughts
I often return to the bible passage in John 4, the meeting of Jesus with a Samaritan woman. There is so much in these verses that are life changing. In this post, I want to focus on one sliver of the spiritual riches given in this encounter.
John 4:16-19
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.
Jesus lets the woman know that He knows the secret, the disgrace, the shame, the sin, the issue. Jesus already knew. But He wants her to know that He knows. She takes the revelation as proof that He is a prophet, which He is. Yet, I wonder if His revelation was a set-up for a later part of the conversation.
John 4:25-26
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
Jesus revealed to a woman, a Samaritan woman (Samaritans were considered less-than by the Jews), a woman living in sin, a woman with a shameful past, that He is the Messiah. He does not tell anyone else this amazing truth. He picked the most outcast of society to declare that He was the long-awaited Messiah, the One whom the world has waited upon for thousands of years. The disciples were not told this. The crowds never received this verbal affirmation of His title. But this woman heard the word first-hand.
I believe Jesus told her that He knew her past and current shame and sin so that she would know that He reveals Himself despite ourselves. She could never think “If He only knew the real me, He would never have told me that He was the Messiah. He probably wouldn’t have even spoken to me.” Instead, she knew that He knew and still revealed who He is to her. Amazing! Jesus wanted to make it clear that He was declaring the message that the world had been waiting on since the fall of Adam and Eve to a woman with a shady past and sinful present. Jesus knows and still reveals the mysteries of heaven to unworthy vessels.
Jesus knows. He knows our failures, our sins, our issues, our wasted time, our neglected dreams, our…. All the things that come to our heads and bring shame to our hearts, He knows. And He still wants to have a conversation with us. And He still wants to share the mysteries of heaven with us. And He still tells us things that others may never have heard first-hand. Jesus the Messiah, loves us and shares who He is with us. May we marvel at His heart toward us!
by Shannon Tillman | Apr 24, 2024 | Thoughts
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is a command, so it is not an option. We are ordered to not let evil overcome us. How can we choose to not be overwhelmed, knocked down, or discouraged by evil? For it must be a choice since it is a command, thus we decide whether to obey or not. The strategy for obedience is given in the second half of the verse.
We are to “overcome evil with good.” God alone is good.
Mark 10:18
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
Thus, we overcome evil by God. How do we practically do this? We must focus on His goodness instead of the evil circumstances. We must trust Him even when we do not understand why we are suffering. We must seek His counsel on how to respond in a manner that reflects His goodness instead of our natural desires. In other words, to overcome evil is an intentional battle plan to combat evil with the goodness of God.
Is this easy? No. However, it is commanded for our benefit. God wants to protect us from being knocked down by evil. He wants to work through us so that evil is vanquished. The Lord does not want evil to prevail against us. The only way for us to not be consumed by the evil is to conquer the evil. The goodness of God is the assured victory over all evil!
Whatever evil situation that has risen against you is now your opportunity for victory! When you stand in the goodness of God, the enemy not only cannot knock you down, he also loses ground against you. The evil is overcome and the flag of goodness is placed up as the victory. In your difficulties, get the battle plan from God. His goodness will win!
by Shannon Tillman | Apr 17, 2024 | Bible Study
Have you ever been blind-sided by someone? I wonder if that is how Philemon felt when he received a letter from the Apostle Paul. I am sure upon its arrival, Philemon felt honored to be singled out for personal correspondence from the esteemed preacher. However, the letter ends up being a difficult call to action.
The letter begins with compliments to Philemon as one who is a dear friend, fellow worker, one who loves God’s people, and has great faith. These words would have definitely encouraged Philemon. Then, the tone of the letter changes.
Philemon verses 8-11
Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
Onesimus was a slave of Philemon. He ran away yet somehow, though, he was influenced by the preaching of Paul and became a believer in Jesus. Amazingly, Onesimus the slave is led to Christ by the same person who led his master to Christ. Onesimus must have confessed his past sins and thus Paul sent him back with this letter.
Philemon verses 12-16
I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 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.
Suddenly, a seemingly friendly letter, becomes a series of difficult choices. Would Philemon forgive Onesimus? Not only that, would he choose to see Onesimus no longer as a slave but now as a brother in Christ? Would he trust Paul’s heart about this man’s transformation and his usefulness to Paul? Would Philemon free his slave to serve in the ministry?
Paul knew that he was asking a lot in this short letter. He was asking for a radical heart change in Philemon. Yet, Paul pressed the point even further.
Philemon verses 17-19
So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.
Welcome the one who offended you as if you were welcoming your spiritual leader and friend. Demand payback, not from the one who owes it, but from the one who literally shared with you the message of eternal life. These are Paul’s requests to Philemon.
Philemon verses 20-21
I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
In honoring Paul’s desires, Philemon would refresh his heart. Paul believed that Philemon would go above and beyond in response. If he did, we do not know. There are speculations in church history. Onesimus, the slave, may have become Onesimus the minister with Paul if he is the same man mentioned in Colossians 4. I hope Philemon did respond to Paul’s requests, because this would be the right thing to do.
I must admit, my standards for Philemon are higher than the standards I set for myself. I want him to forgive his slave, embrace him as a brother, and release him back to Paul for ministry. Yet, when I recently finished reading this short letter, God brought a person to my mind who did some terrible things against me. Immediately, I felt a guard go up in my heart against this person. Then, I realized, The Lord had blind-sided me with this letter, just as Paul had done to Philemon.
What if the person asks forgiveness? Would I hold the one in judgment? Would I want them to prove their transformation? Would they have to earn trust and relationship back piece by piece, like a slave working toward freedom? Or would I embrace them with love and release them into the fullness of God’s calling over their lives?
The same questions that Paul asked of Philemon, God asks of me. They are the same questions the Lord is asking you for each person that has wounded and caused you harm. The letter is to each of us. What will our response be?
by Shannon Tillman | Apr 10, 2024 | Thoughts
Proverbs 11:2 …
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
I have often read this verse and thought that when a person has pride then something bad would happen to them. It seemed a point of justice. Pride leads to downfall, disgrace, embarrassment.
It makes me think of the bully in a movie who does something cruel and then turns and trips and everyone laughs at the mean guy. You enjoy watching him fall as a sort of punishment for what he has done to others. (Or maybe that is just me and some of you would have sympathy on him. I would hope someone would jump out of the shrubbery and trip him again! Another fall for the bully. Yay!)
However, if we look at this verse again, it is not discussing a bad thing happening only to the proud. Both the proud and the humble experience difficulties. The second part of the verse does not show a protection from trials, instead, it simply states that the humble receive wisdom from the time of suffering.
Each situation gives the opportunity to respond with pride or humility. If I respond with pride then I am disgraced. But if I respond with humility than I am granted wisdom. Every circumstance provides a choice to get upset or to learn, to react or to respond, to look at the situation or to look at the God behind the situation.
The essence of humility is the acceptance of God’s sovereignty. I view the situation as from God and that He has allowed what has happened. Although it is difficult, I can ask God for wisdom in handling whatever trial has come my way. My attitude is one of what can be gained through the pain instead of how to avoid the pain.
James 1:2-5
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
The joy in trials is knowing that purpose will ultimately come from the pain. It will not be wasted if I handle the situation as directed by God. In humility I seek Him and ask for wisdom. Thus, I am not living disgraced for what was sent to “trip me up” instead I am choosing to utilize the situation as a platform for growth, change, transformation.
While this verse does not mean the proud bully will trip and fall (although that would be great!), it does mean that the trials of our lives can benefit me in the end when I allow the Lord to guide and direct me. The proud are disgraced by difficulties, the humble receive wisdom in difficulties. It comes down to our choice in how we respond to our trials.
