“But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” – Acts 9:13-15
Only Jesus can turn His greatest enemy into His greatest evangelist! Jesus took Saul of Tarsus, a zealous Pharisee who hated Him and His followers, and He flipped Saul right around. In a moment, the overwhelming reality of Jesus’ holy and glorious presence pulled Saul off the wrong path and onto the right path, transforming his enormous knowledge and zeal into an asset for Christ’s Kingdom. In the history of the church, there has been nobody else like Saul. However, Jesus is always working to turn enemies into evangelists!
There’s so much we can learn from this. We see the grace of Jesus illustrated as He loves and calls a man who’d been tormenting, torturing, and killing followers of Jesus. Saul did nothing to earn Christ’s forgiveness and inclusion in His kingdom, but Jesus gave it to him anyway. Saul would later call himself “the foremost of sinners” while marveling at the grace of Jesus. We also see how Jesus doesn’t just look for the most talented person already on His team. He calls and qualifies people from every walk of life, including His enemies. Once they trust in Him, they’re radically changed and suitable for service to King Jesus. Such was the case for Saul, who quickly began preaching the good news of Jesus Christ after his baptism.
We also see how difficult it is for Christians to believe that the Gospel has truly changed someone they fear or hate. Even though we believe the Gospel, it can still be a struggle to believe Jesus could love and save certain people. We can be skeptical of the very miracle that has saved us. And yet, we must believe. We must cling to the hope of the Gospel, praying and trusting that Jesus can turn around even His most hardened opponent. We must trust in the Lord, His power, and His wisdom in choosing and appointing those He selects. So, whom should you be praying for? What enemy of the faith are you praying Jesus will turn into a great evangelist? Take your time and pray right now. #FollowJesus