Useful



Phm 1:11  He was useless to you before; now he's useful to both of us. 


     There must have been a time when there really seemed to be no hope that he 

would amount to much. Either there was no motivation to accomplish anything, or 

all attempts to find a place of purpose were met with failure. Somehow, through 

circumstances of life, there had been formed this insurmountable self-image of 

failure that would not allow him to experience the fulfillment of the most 

simple accomplishment. Even though there was an awareness of what was needed, 

and even though there was a capacity to perform it, the ability for him or 

anyone else to see him doing it had been lost long ago and replaced only with 

the vision of a loser. Even his discovery of new life in Christ, while 

introducing him to a new realm of possibilities, was still surrounded and framed 

in this binding stronghold of a defeated "failure" self-image that would not let 

him free to function in any capacity. There might really have been a reason for 

his existence, but at that time it was very much obscured by the image of his 

past failures. He finally could take it no more and sought freedom in departing 

from any responsibilities, escaping from any reminder of his past and seeming 

hopelessness. 


	So what was it that transformed this man from a state of apparent 

ineptitude to a position of worth and purpose? How was he able to return to his 

former master feeling certain that he was now a new person of value and purpose? 

In the presence and service of this jailed man, there was a liberation he found 

from the bondage of his former self and an escape to a perspective of hope and a 

significant self-image. What did he discover during his time spent with Paul? 


I believe that in his exposure to the man who's life was lived by the faith of 

the Son of God, he came in contact with something he could actually believe in. 

He could not have avoided hearing the constant communication of what had taken 

place in Christ and the possibilities that lie in running to the new life He 

provided. There was, in the way Paul treated him, an acknowledgement of this 

person inside that was really a new creation in Christ, created unto good works 

and made able to do all things with excellence. Instead of being overwhelmed by 

the things of his past and their image of failure, he was able to see himself 

differently, as one who's old things were past away and for whom all things had 

become new. He was not judged by, and kept in the box of his past, but was 

instead spoken to and honored as the person he really was, a carrier of the very 

life and nature of God. With the veil to his potential removed through this 

revelation of Christ in him, he was able to actually begin living the reality of 

this vision. Where he once might have stumbled over himself and fallen again 

into the certainty of his uselessness, he was now able to produce, operate, and 

perform successfully in his God-given purpose. What an incredibly thing it must 

have been for him to see this transformation take place and actually begin 

looking forward with anticipation to the challenges of life. Knowing that he was 

now more than a conqueror, he could approach any task with great confidence and 

boldness, giving all his potential gifts and abilities access to the realm of 

possibility. 


	Whether or not this was a completely accurate depiction of the life of 

Onesimus from this passage in Philemon, this is surely an accurate 

representation of what should take place, both for the one possessing an 

understanding of and relationship with the Master, and for anyone he might 

touch. For all truly living in fellowship with Christ, there should be an 

honoring of Jesus' life in every living person around them, no matter their 

apparent success or failure in life. In our words and in how we treat each of 

His creation there should be an extension and communication of His heart and 

desire for their life. In reaching out to them in this manner that is the truth 

of worship, they will be shown the way out of the bondage to any failure or 

stronghold of the past. They will be able to walk in the newness of life that is 

affirmed not just in words, but in the fullness of everything to which they 

might set their hand. The communication of righteousness will produce excellence 

in all of their living. 


	For each of us having tasted of His goodness, this transformation should 

also be an ongoing process of going from glory to glory, evidenced continually 

in the excellence of our work. In every area where our past has painted a 

picture of failure and defeat, there is waiting a transformation for us from the 

useless to the useful. Hanging out where words of life are spoken and living 

daily in the presence of the Master, there is a walk of liberty to be taken from 

the bondage of performance limitations imposed by a defeated self-image to a 

place where all things are possible and doable in Him. Time spent in His 

presence will always impart worth, hope and vision, and propel us into service 

with an incredible resource of ability in Him- useful.                                  



10/17/04