God’s View of Broken Vessels

By Fatoki Ifeoluwa

Devotional Reading: “I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.” Philemon 1:10-11

Is it not amazing that when we break a plate in the house and dispose it, some other people find it still valuable and useful? Even though they pick it up as scrap, they work on such scrap and it returns as a valuable piece of houseware. Onesimus mirrors such scrap. Onesimus, a domestic slave of Philemon, had absconded; and in verse 18, we find possible clues that he not only absconded but that he had also stolen money from his master, by which to effect his get-away to Rome where he fled to.

However, while in Rome, he came under the influence of Paul, was truly converted, and later returned to Colosse a changed man. Under the Roman law, terrible punishments were sanctioned for such offences, even to the inflicting of death. However, Paul requested that Philemon would accept Onesimus as his brother in Christ, and welcome him as such (vs 16-17).

The letter of Paul to Philemon gives us a clue to how God thinks of those who err against Him. He seeks to restore them and does not count their errors against them. In fact, He regards them as His beloved sons.

Beloved, since God is our father, we cannot entertain a different view when people err against us, or make mistakes. We must not define people by their mistakes. We ought to think of ways to restore relationships, because like Onesimus, the broken vessels of today will become valuable treasures when they turn to God.

Finally beloved, we do not find the response of Philemon in the Bible, but how you respond to the broken vessel around you may be all someone needs to see, to know what God thinks of broken vessels.

Prayer and Confession
Dear Father, please help me to communicate Your love, forgiveness and acceptance to the broken people around me in Jesus Name, Amen.

Further Reading: Philemon 1.