We had a break-in. In broad daylight and right by the front door! It’s really bad when someone walks into your house just like that and take what they want. Do what they want and scratch around where they want.

It so happened that my son’s laptop was replaced and I was next in line for a new one. What a beauty, that little laptop! Quick and small. I could take it wherever I went.

About three months later my son came to me. I could see he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was dumbfounded. He was looking for his snorkel which he urgently needed for swimming. He really turned out his wardrobe and when he got up onto a chair to reach the upper part, he touched something cold.

He pulled it out slowly and there it was. The laptop that we thought had been stolen was lying exactly where he had hidden it before we went on vacation. We were grateful, but suddenly came face to face with an ethical dilemma. What should we do with the old laptop? What should we do with the new laptop? Should we notify the insurance company?

What is the right thing to do?

I suspect Paul also faced this question when Onesimus repented. Onesimus was a slave who had run away from his master, Philemon. In those days that was a major offense carrying a long prison term.

Guided by Paul, Onesimus repented. When the covering of slave and thief fell away, a wonderful man came into the light. A man who helped Paul so much with his ministry that he could hardly continue without him. Onesimus became Paul’s right hand and helped him make life in prison so much better.

But Paul knew that Onesimus didn’t actually belong to him. Onesimus belonged to Philemon. But Paul could’ve argued that Philemon had many other slaves. Or that Onesimus had to stay because he was actually doing God’s work in prison.

But Paul did not trip over his own thoughts and he asked himself what was the right thing to do. Deep inside he knew the right thing was to send Onesimus back to his owner. ¹²I’m sending him back to you, but it feels like I’m cutting off my right arm in doing so. ¹³I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I’m in jail for the Message. ¹⁴ But I didn’t want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn’t willingly agreed to.

It was the right thing to do.

We phoned the insurers and told them that we had found the old laptop. It was the right thing to do.

Deep inside your heart you know what is the right thing to do. Do it. Always.

Scripture
Philemon 1:8-14

Reflection
How do you know what is the right thing to do?
Do you always do the right thing?
How can you ensure that you do the right thing next time?

Prayer
Father, deep inside I know most of the time what is the right thing to do, but my head makes me decide differently. Help me to rather always do the right thing. In Jesus’ Name, amen.