I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.

Philemon 1:13 CSB

So that he (Onesimus) might serve me in your (Philemon's) place.

Philomen, Paul's beloved friend and co-worker, and he sees Onesimus, my son, my very heart, in the same light, Paul sees them as the same. 

He doesn't see their age, where they're from.

Their economic power.

Their social standing.

One is a slave. One a slave owner.

One runs a church, the other is a runaway.

He looks past all the externals that I so quickly use to label people, to categorise, to keep at a distance.

He looks to the person who he knows, the heart. Paul sees the person who he loves.

Who else does that?

Our God sees people like that. 

He sees the person who he knows, the heart. 

Our God sees the person who He loves.

He sees more than our circumstances, more than our story, and sees us, the person.

This is OK in general, it's even OK for others, but what if it's true for me?

That our God sees me, the person who He loves, my Beloved child, 

my very heart.

Seen.

Known.

Loved.

#childofGod

#dearlyloved

#restinthattoday