Have you ever considered your reactions to people? No really. How do you react one-on-one or in a group? What happens if you disagree with someone's discourse? Do you find yourself shrinking and giving in to their opinion, or find yourself defensive and ready to start a fight? Perhaps you are between these two extremes and neither find yourself fighting nor flighting. You may be the type of convivial person who gets along with everyone. 
Or perhaps you are drawn to those kinds of positive folks. Every day we navigate relationships with family, coworkers, and even strangers that we encounter. How you react to them and find a relationship with them can make a difference all proving that it does matter The Way You Do The Things You Do...
Or perhaps you are drawn to those kinds of positive folks. Every day we navigate relationships with family, coworkers, and even strangers that we encounter. How you react to them and find a relationship with them can make a difference all proving that it does matter The Way You Do The Things You Do...
This great classic by The Temptations was written by two members of a different band. The lyrics were provided by The Miracles, Bobby Rogers, and Smokey Robinson. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "We Are The World" (USA for Africa)) It came about as they were coming up with a variety of pickup lines while passing the time on the long bus journey. When they realized they had the makings of a song, they passed the song on to The Temptations who had struggled to get a hit single. At that point, the fellow-label group The Temptations, had only one single hit the charts, the 1962, #22 song "Dreams Come True". The 2 groups were touring together as a part of The Motortown Revue.
The recording came after founding member Elbridge Bryant and been fired, thus allowing for the classic lineup and sound for The Temptations that are so well known today. With an assist from realigning lead vocalists, the group that would become known worldwide was developed and their course was set. It seems when we have a little help from our friends who do the things the way they do, it can serve to be beneficial all the way around.
On occasion, as we have traveled chronologically through the Bible, I find that I missed something in my eagerness to get to a favorite portion. My apologies have to go out today as I skipped over one of Paul's very important letters, written around the same time as he wrote Colossians, Paul's letter to Philemon.
Paul writes this letter while in prison to one of the leaders of the church in Colossae. Philemon had come to Jesus as a result of Paul's missionary outing through the region and with the partnership of another new believer Epaphras, quickly helped to establish the church in their town.
We then read about the story of Onesimus. He is a servant, perhaps even a slave to Philemon. Paul doesn't elaborate on the offense, but Onesimus had illegally wronged Philemon and fled the area. In his fleeing, he encounters Paul and becomes a Christian. With his newfound faith, he has the desire to make things right with Philemon, and thus the point of the letter we have today.
Paul, as he does many of his letters, opens with a prayer. A great example to us today as we begin any new endeavor or any endeavor at all. In his prayer, Paul uses language to elude to the topic of the letter that is about to transpire, praying for the partnership that springs from faith in verse 6. This springboards into a portion of the prayer that elaborates on the equality we have in Jesus as we work together to see His kingdom fulfilled.
As Paul concludes his prayer, he makes a point of telling Philemon, that partnership and equality are already things that Philemon does. He displays in his everyday life the Koinonia, the idea of sharing and mutual participation, that Jesus-followers should display. He then bridges into the topic of the letter.
Philemon is such a good man and has found ways to propagate the Gospel of Jesus in the way he does the things he does. Paul, because of his confidence in Philemon's life and the relationship he has built with Onesimus, goes on to request that Philemon not only forgive Onesimus but welcome him back as the brother in Jesus that he is. Paul leverages (not in a bad way) his relationship with Philemon to the point that he says, "If then you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me. But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, have written this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). - Philemon 17-19 NASB
This is incredible. But it is the way that Paul did the things he did. He was so caught up in doing things as he thought Jesus would do them that he was able to write this letter and have the confidence that Onesimus' acceptance by Philemon would happen even to the point of reimbursing Philemon for whatever it was that Onesimus had done.
So you see friend, the way you do the things you do matters. It matters to those close to you and could matter to someone you have just met. And it certainly matters to those who may have done you wrong. If you are a believer in Jesus' redemption of your soul, you must show this to the world and be an example that the way you do the things you do matters. And just for kickers....have a smile so bright, you know you could have been a candle...
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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