Sandwiches.....

Sandwiches.......

There are sandwiches of all kinds...wraps, subs, hoagies, bagels, phillies, lettuce wraps, croissants, tacos-soft and hard, gyros, etc, etc, etc.....most have a wrapping of some kind around an inside filling....infinite filling possibilities ....there is even a program on the Food Network on sandwiches...good sounding sandwiches....a long way the bologna sandwiches of years ago....

When I was growing up, money was tight, so I remember having fried egg sandwiches when the chickens were laying as well as just butter and sugar sandwiches when no eggs were available...choices were limited...

All this being said....sandwiching is one way to talk to people about a problem...the first "slice", so to speak, is something complimentary...the filling is the problem and then the slice again of the complimentary....so that the "problem" is encased with love, care..but addressed....

When I look at some of the epistles In the New Testament, there are greetings and love shown at the beginning and the end..some problem may be addressed in the center of the epistle with encouragement ....a "sandwich"... The fillings differ, but the love at the beginning and end are the same ....all to promote growth of the believers...

I wish I would have used that more often with my children when they were growing up....they knew I loved them...,  but the discipline may have been different....the "filling" not so harsh....

Thank YOU for "sandwiches" of love strewn through Your Word... Showing Your love for us...me...but also your loving reprimands....

Philemon 1
New International Version (NIV)
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

3 Grace and peace to you[a] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,[b] who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.