Paul was one of the most respected men of his time. He was committed to God, and he served

God faithfully and whole-heartedly. No one could question his commitment to the faith.

And that’s why he persecuted those who followed Christ. He thought that they were a

dangerous cult.

At this point, he was actually known as Saul.

Saul was there when Stephen was killed. He was busy tracking down Christians and throwing

them in jail.

Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He

went to the high priest  and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus,

so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as

prisoners to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2 CSB)

There is no doubt that Saul was zealous for God; however, he was very misguided in his

understanding of Jesus, like all of us before we encounter Jesus.

Today, think back to the person you were before you encountered Jesus. Chances are you

weren’t persecuting or killing Christians. Most likely, you lived a “good life.” Still, you were

misguided in your understanding of Jesus and your need for Him. There’s even a chance you

don’t even know Him yet.



Remember who you were and remember the darkness that those around you still encounter.

Rejoice in your new life and be challenged to share Christ with those who don’t know Him.

By LaRaine Rice