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. Philemon 1:8-11
The love Jesus had for all was evident in His ministries. He healed, preached and saved all those around Him out of love. Paul had an incredibly busy life preaching and leading churches, but that didn't stop him from loving an escaped slave. In fact, it was quite the opposite because the love of Jesus had changed his heart. As Charles Spurgeon preached,
"Nature is selfish but Grace is loving. He who boasts that he cares for nobody and nobody cares for him, is the reverse of a Christian, for Jesus Christ enlarges the heart when He cleanses it. None so tender and sympathetic as our Master and if we are truly His disciples, the same mind will be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul was eminently large-hearted and sympathetic."
Join me in reading the book of Philemon and be encouraged by the love God has for the lowliest!
