At least one of the...
Illustration
At least one of the significant things about the story of the runaway slave, Onesimus, is his name. The name, common for a slave, means useful. As our text illustrates, Paul plays upon the literal rendering to convince Philemon that the new convert had become useful in the upbuilding of the Kingdom.
Centuries later, the name Charles Tindley emerged from obscurity. Tindley was a slave. He did not run away from his master, but his name could just as easily be Onesimus, because, as providence would have it, Charles Tindley, proved to be exceedingly useful to the Kingdom.
Teaching himself to read, Tindley lifted himself from extreme poverty to become an extraordinarily distinguished minister. He learned Greek and Hebrew, pastored a church he had once served as janitor, wrote more than forty published hymns (among them, Stand By Me), and grew a church which would come to be know as Tindley Temple. He was useful.
There are many kinds of slaves. Some are slaves to harmful habits; others find themselves shackled by personal ambition. Still others are bound by imagined limitations. Legion are the ways in which we allow ourselves to be enslaved to the lesser life.
Whatever our name, the Gospel calls us to be an Onesimus – useful.
Centuries later, the name Charles Tindley emerged from obscurity. Tindley was a slave. He did not run away from his master, but his name could just as easily be Onesimus, because, as providence would have it, Charles Tindley, proved to be exceedingly useful to the Kingdom.
Teaching himself to read, Tindley lifted himself from extreme poverty to become an extraordinarily distinguished minister. He learned Greek and Hebrew, pastored a church he had once served as janitor, wrote more than forty published hymns (among them, Stand By Me), and grew a church which would come to be know as Tindley Temple. He was useful.
There are many kinds of slaves. Some are slaves to harmful habits; others find themselves shackled by personal ambition. Still others are bound by imagined limitations. Legion are the ways in which we allow ourselves to be enslaved to the lesser life.
Whatever our name, the Gospel calls us to be an Onesimus – useful.
