”if you consider me a partner” [Philemon v17(NIV)]

”if you consider me a partner”. Partners can sometimes be easier to make than to keep, especially if we are not prepared to maintain the relationship.
Philemon no doubt thought it an honour to have the Apostle Paul as a personal friend. The test came when on the strength of that friendship he was asked to do something. Irrespective of what he felt within, was he prepared to forgive and receive back a runaway slave for Paul’s sake? Onesimus may have robbed him. The believer’s relationship with the Body of Christ is one of partnership. In the light of that, he or she is asked to do many things just as difficult as Paul asked Philemon. But when you are in love with your Lord you’ll do anything. After all, whatever you do can never equal that already done for you.