Useless Can Become Useful

Philemon 1:11
Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

New Living Translation
Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.

Apostle Paul writes this letter to Philemon a dedicated church member. Philemon was so dedicated that the church used to meet at his house. Our commitment to God’s work is not what we claim in empty words, but in what we do for God. Philemon allowed the church to invade his privacy. Philemon allowed the church to use his home as their place of worship. Philemon was not the only church member, but he was the only one who gave the church a place to worship. Philemon was important and significant to the church because what he had he committed to God’s work.

Philemon used to have a servant by the name Onesimus. He was not just a servant but a slave. Slavery was still practiced in those days. It was not and it is not right but it was widely accepted. Onesimus stole from Philemon and then ran away. It was a crime to steal. It was another crime to run away from your master if you are a slave. With these two offenses, Onesimus deserved serious punishment including death.

While on the run, Onesimus met Apostle Paul and got converted to Christianity. He confessed his crimes to Paul and sought restoration. A truly repentant person acts like Onesimus. A truly repentant person will confess they are wrong. Not justifying and explaining why they did the wrong, but accepting that whatever it is, they were wrong. A repentant person also does not stop at confession, they go further to fix the damage. Zacchaeus confessed and repented by paying four times those he offended. A truly repentant person makes the necessary changes, they don’t just confess, they also fix the mess they caused.

The book of Philemon is Paul’s attempt to help Onesimus restore his relationship with Philemon. Paul pleads and appeals to Philemon to forgive and accept back Onesimus. That is how Christians respond when two people are in disagreement. Christians do not take sides, they instead work towards restoring the relationship. If Onesimus had come to you and made this confession what would you do? Take sides with him and condemn Philemon for unChristian threats to the life of Onesimus? Or take sides with Philemon and preach sermons in the church where Onesimus is and accuse slaves who run away from their masters? Paul chose to reconcile both of them. When two people disagree, one will confide in you, be like Paul, restore the two to each other!

In his appeal to Philemon, Paul tells him that by his crimes Onesimus became useless to him. Useless because he deserved death. Useless because he could no longer be trusted. Useless because he had brought him losses of stolen property and the hectic situation of finding a replacing worker. Paul now tells Philemon that because Onesimus had been converted, he was no longer useless but useful.

Sin makes us useless, but salvation makes us useful. Because of salvation, it is possible for your useless spouse, useless child, useless relative, useless worker, useless boss, useless leader, useless friend and useless whoever to be useful. Do not write off anyone because they are useless today, because if they meet Jesus, they will be so useful, you will be forever put to shame. Useless can become useful!

Has someone offended you? Have they become useless to you? Do not in anger burn bridges and forever ruin the relationship. That useless person may meet Jesus and become useful and you get permanently ashamed. Take your pain quietly. Leave everything in the hands of God. God will revenge for you. God will restore what you have lost. Do not believe or act as if you will never need the person. God ensures that people who disagree eventually meet with tables turned. Useless can become useful!

Avoid childish ultimatums like, “even if my life depended on that person I would rather die than forgive them.” Avoid statements like, “we will only work together over my dead body.” Do not let today’s temporary anger cause you to make regrettable commitments of the future you do not know. Bear the pain and let it in time pass. Truly forgive as the Bible suggests. Forgiving them doesn’t mean they will evade punishment. Forgive them sets you free from carrying that issue in your heart. Forgiving them restores your relationship. Forgiving them will make the currently useless to be useful when they meet Jesus. Forgive and move on. It is difficult but nothing is impossible with God. Useless can become useful!

It is not only people who become useless. You can come across useless situations in your life. If a relationship breaks up, the person becomes useless but also the time spent with that person becomes useless. The message from God today is, the useless person can become useful. The message from God is also that the relationship and situation that for now seem useless because it wasted your time and resources can turn out to be useful. Joseph was sold to slavery. That situation seemed useless but it turned out to be a blessing and it was more useful than anyone anticipated.

What experience has hurt you and proved useless? Business loss? Job loss? Relationship loss? Indisposition? Loss of a loved one? Loss of scholarship? Academic failure? Or whatever regrettable and painful experience you are now going through or recently went through. I tell you in the name of Jesus, that that which is now useless can become a huge blessing beyond your expectations. Useless can become useful!

Dear God, forgive me for writing off some people and some situations as being permanently useless. Help me to reconcile. May the useless be useful for your glory, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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