Scripture: Philemon 6 – “I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we share in Christ.” (NRSVue)
Throughout the Bible, and especially in the New Testament, there is a sense that being rich is bad and being poor is good. For example, in the Letter of James it says, “Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. … Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire.” It is not wealth per se that is the problem, but the fact that such wealth is built upon unfair practices like slavery and defrauding or manipulating the poor. Theologians throughout the centuries have said, God has a “preferential option for the poor,” which means that God looks first upon the suffering of the most vulnerable and judges those who abuse or neglect them.
This is not to say that the rich are just the enemies of God. The rich can do wonderful things with their wealth. Sometimes, they just need a push in the right direction to see if there are any blind spots in their faith.
Buried last among all of Paul’s letters is the Letter to Philemon, written not to a church but to an individual. Philemon is a wealthy Christian who does a lot of good work. Paul writes, “I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. … I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.” Those are pretty complimentary words. But Paul also writes, “I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we share in Christ.” Philemon’s faith is not quite as “effective” as it could be.
This is because Philemon is a slave owner. And his slave, Onesimus, has run away to Paul. The letter is a way for Paul to recognize that Onesimus is still Philemon’s property, but Paul subtly indicates that Philemon’s faith would be more effective if he freed Onesimus and treated him as a brother. It is what a true Christian would do.
How should we remember Philemon? Is he a hero for his faith and good works, or should he be condemned as a slave holder? Philemon is not just a “product of his time,” because Paul is not letting him off the hook. It is an important question as we reexamine men like George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, without whom we would not have our country, but who were still slaveholders and did not free their slaves in their lifetimes.
It is clear where God stands on the question of slavery or defrauding the poor. But God is also a God of mercy. God calls us to repentance before condemnation. Like Philemon, we need reminders that there are often things holding back our faith. And this is true for rich and poor.
This week, think about what you are holding back. What comfort or social convention do you hide behind to avoid doing the things that God is truly calling you to do. God will forgive you if you notice what you are doing and try to turn your life around. Then the blessings of God will abound as they are shared with all.
Prayer: God, open my eyes to what is missing in my faith and bring me back to acts of justice and mercy. Amen.
留言