“Ok everyone, listen!”
The voice echoed across the room quieting the hum of team member chatter. I chewed quickly, caught mid-bite enjoying the taco bowl assembled from the meeting potluck. Our pastor, Rob, sat at the end of four connected tables that served as our gathering place in the church cafe. When all paused to look up, he began the meeting. Expressing his love and appreciation for the team, he commended our faithfulness in serving the Lord. Then continued with team direction.
Pastor Rob’s tone was confident yet gentle pairing exhortation with scripture. He spoke to our calling as a team and the example of sacrifice in service we impress to the church as a whole. With that in mind, he communicated his desire for us to improve in some areas. One of them being our communication method. If we are to serve well, good and consistent communication is essential.
He continued by asking which communication method was best for the group, taking votes for varying methods. After gathering input, he spoke of the pros and cons of each option. Micheline, his wife and the group leader kindly suggested we try the Planning Center app, which was created for church ministry. Hesitant to make the change, the team members all agreed to a trial run.
Later that week, I was on a phone call with Micheline. Because of my role in another area of ministry, I knew that the goal was to eventually use Planning Center exclusively. I mentioned my puzzlement about Pastor Rob’s method.
“Why didn’t he just say, this is the direction we are going? That’s what I would have done.”
She replied, “He doesn’t want them to use Planning Center because they are told to, he wants them to see the benefit, and willingly choose that option.”
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 (Philemon 1:8 ESV)
It is a good thing that I am not yet in a position of leadership that manages people. I have not yet grasped the patience and understanding needed. When I think back to those who have guided me, I am thankful they had these qualities. We can see an example of this in Paul's letter to Philemon. In this letter, Paul is writing Philemon concerning his former servant.
Onesimus was an unbelieving bondservant who was considered useless for ministry and likely a thief. After fleeing from Philemon, he lodged with Paul resulting in his eventual salvation. Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon with a letter asking him to take Onesimus back, this time as a brother in Christ.
Paul has the authority to command Philemon to take Onesimus back. He chooses to appeal so that his goodness may not be by compulsion (Vs.14). On the other hand, Paul gives us a glimpse of Philemon’s character. In verse 21 he writes, Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. With this, we have a full picture of the nature of their relationship.
We see here one with authority humbling himself for the sake of love and the servant counterpart willingly subjecting himself for the sake of love. This exchange can be applied to the relationship between pastor and church body, husband and wife, parent and child, but most of all God and His people.
According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, an appeal is a serious or urgent request. I can look back on my walk with Christ and see the many times He appealed to me. He appealed to me to believe the gospel, to reject the way of the world, to seek Him and to offer myself in service. I am still growing in various aspects of all these things. God is the perfect gentleman, He will not force His way. He has utmost patience, waiting for us to align with His will.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ( 2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV)
Some requests are a matter of life and death in the matter of salvation. Some are an invitation to step into deeper intimacy with our Father. In many cases, He asks not because we do not have liberty in Christ to choose otherwise, but because He wants to make us Holy and complete. Since God has come to us in such a gracious manner, we should have the heart of Philemon and meet His requests without restraint because of our love for Him.
True maturity in the Christian life is when we subject ourselves to the Lord’s rule. Not because we are commanded. But because we love Him so deeply and trust the goodness of His character. As Pastor Rob pointed out in our meeting, true worship is embodied in our sacrifice.
Look back at everything God has done for you, remember His gentle nature and His efforts to pursue you. To redeem you. I imagine when you do, your natural response will be, Lord I will give you everything. How can I bless you? This moment was a turning point for me. Instead of asking what is permissible as a Christian, I began to ask what truly pleases my Savior.
I am learning what it looks like to sacrifice my plans, preferences, and comfort for the sake of love. It is not a form of punishment, but an adventurous persuit to understand more fully what it means to be like Jesus. It is truely exciting to unveil the layers of the nature of God and we will never run out of beauty to discover. May we bless God, offering ourselves, as a joyful response to His grace.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1 ESV)
Remember to prioritize firsthand Bible reading every day, only the Word has the power to transform. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
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