Philemon 1:11 …who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

I was shocked that yesterday’s scripture from Titus was the only one familiar to me.
After reading the entire book of Philemon, today is not much different.
Verse 11 is the only one qualifying as memorable to me.
Honestly, I don’t think I ever preached a message from this little book.
Philemon is about a runaway slave named Onesimus.
Onesimus comes in contact with Paul, who is a prisoner of Rome.
He hears the Gospel and gives his life to Christ.
This changes everything.
Paul urges Philemon to accept Onesimus back as a brother in Christ.
Slavery is never good and many wonder why God did not condemn it and write a commandment “Thou shalt not have slaves.”
First of all, God gave ten commandments that we still ignore and break, so why would an anti-slavery scripture be any different?
Change is made, not by outward commandments, but by the word of God being written on your heart.
Someone you might look upon and think unworthy becomes worth much through the change Christ makes in your heart.
Those you once avoided become those you seek.
Those once unprofitable to you are now profitable to you because of the change in you!