There are two segments...
Chapter One:
The beauty of Saul's story is that when God steps into a person's life, unexpected things happen.
Saul hated Christians. Saul was there, approving, when Stephen was stoned. Saul went from house to house, dragging Christians off to jail. Saul's purpose was to destroy the Christian church.
Saul hated Christians.
Then Christ stepped into his life.
Transformed, Saul became Paul. He ended up ministering to the very people that he stoned, imprisoned, persecuted and hated.
He loved and cared for those he had hated.
Years ago I attended church with a woman who was unashamedly racist. She knew what she liked and she stuck by it. Then Christ moved in an unexpected way.
Our church sponsored Haitian refugees and there were a lot of them in New York City. We had collected a large amount of food and clothing and there was a conflict of scheduling the church van. Somehow or another, this woman ended up driving her personal van, taking food and clothes to a group of people that were (racially) part of a group that she, to say the least, had no love for.
She got there, met the people, met more. Stayed...stayed longer.
She came backed changed. She came back very changed. She became mother, grandmother, godmother to this group of people that our church adopted as part of our own.
She loved and cared for those she had hated.
When God moves, unexpected things happen.
amanda
What a great post! I love the way your painted with words.
Moonshadow
That may be why we are supposed to pray for those who persecute us; it's a win-win. Because it's difficult to hate (for long) those on one's prayer list.
And making the happy acquaintance of someone who is different can help one realize, "Hey, these folks ain't so bad."
I do believe isolation or a lack of familiarity to be a key factor in prejudice and bigotry. Certainly in my own case, this is very true.
Thanks for reminding us. May I take this to heart.
blair
Isn't it amazing how one encounter with our Lord can change a life in such a profound way. The life of Paul is incredible and such a marvelous example to the rest of us.