Acts 9:1-20
"Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him,
he said, ‘Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
he said, ‘Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way.’" (Acts 9:17)
Saul and his friends never got tired of telling the story of his conversion. Barnabas uses it to explain why the Christians no longer need to fear this man (Acts 9:26-29). Paul tells it to those who want to arrest him (22:1-21) and to King Agrippa who met the apostle during his long imprisonment (26:1-23).
This passage is significant because it shows how deeply the resurrection of Jesus can change people’s lives. At the beginning of Chapter 9, Saul is making threats, bent on capturing these heretics and bringing them to justice. By the end, he is docile and pensive, eager to put aside his old life, join a new community, and learn all he can about the things he had been trying to eradicate. Saul is no longer a murderer but rather God’s chosen instrument.
How has Jesus’ resurrection changed you? Perhaps you were paralyzed by fear, burdened by anxieties or driven by selfish ambition until God set you free to give generously. Perhaps you couldn’t let go of a hurt until Jesus showed you the way to forgiveness. How might the Spirit of God want to change the way you see someone else? Maybe you will see the person you consider an enemy in a new light. Maybe you are another "chosen instrument" to help that person to encounter the transforming love of God.
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