The Perfect Choice
What would you do if suddenly God entered your life and told you you needed to make a change?
I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." - Acts 26:17-18
Despite the fact that Saul was dedicated to blotting out the followers of Jesus, or perhaps because he was, Jesus chose him to go out and spread the Word.
To us, he would be the least likely to be chosen, to be trusted, and yet we have come to see how right that decision was, based on all Paul accomplished in his lifetime.
So, it appears that regardless of what we have done, or who we have been, there is something in God's plan for which we are the perfect choice, the right person to do the job.
Imagine if we all believed that about each other, that there was something for which each person we encounter, good and bad, is the perfect choice, the right match, the ideal.
If we saw the world the way God sees it, we might have a different perspective on life itself. Who is deserving of respect? Who is treasured and who is not?
Now it may be hard to believe that someone who is truly evil could be an instrument for good, but there are many who saw Saul as evil when he was persecuting the followers.
So, what is the lesson for us in today's reading?
I think it is one of judgment and purpose.
God has a purpose in mind for each of us, and it is up to us to accept it or reject it. It doesn't matter what we have done, so much as what we will do. So, who are we to judge others for what they have done or are doing?
God will seek out those He needs to do His work, and we may find His choices unbelievable.
The real challenge is to accept His judgment knowing what we know about His choice.
That's what those judging Paul had to deal with, and it is what we deal with every day when we encounter people we judge negatively.
More to come...