It is difficult to stay tender as you age and also move up in the world. How many rich and famous people have we heard treating the “lowly” in a haughty and rude way just because of their position? I’ve even heard of big time pastors who treated their co-workers in ways that even secular bosses would not treat their employees.

It is a poison disguised in candy. We like our accolades and praises. And when enough people clamor for us, we start thinking we really are special – that we really ARE better than others. And therefore, we start looking at and treating others as if they are beneath us.

But when I read the letter that Paul wrote to Philemon, I read all tenderness and humility and love. Paul is advanced in age by then, and he has established himself as THE apostle (We know him as the greatest missionary the world has ever known!). But when he writes to Philemon, regarding a runaway slave Onesimus, rather than ordering him and compelling him, which he had every right to, he instead pleads and appeals.

He is exercising the gospel way in this. The gospel way makes the person WANT TO do good rather than to compel him to do good. It appeals to the goodness that Christ has shown to us even though we were undeserving rather than to the law to compel us to do it.

Pray that you will stay tender and humble as you age. Pray that I will be so also.

PH