Saul was a Jew who persecuted Christians. He went from village to village putting Christians in jail. One day, while on his way to Damascus, a light shone from heaven, which blinded him, and he heard a voice. He asked the voice, “Who are you, Lord? And the voice replied, I am Jesus, who you are persecuting.” Saul was blinded naturally however, blindness represents sin. When we are in sin, we are blind and cannot see where we are going. Despite what some people believe, someone is leading us and this someone happens to be Satan, the devil.
While Saul, who later was named Paul, waited in the street called Straight, God had already spoken to one of his disciples, named Ananias. He told Ananias that Saul was blind, and he wanted him to go and restore his sight. Go and see Saul and heal him of his blindness. Ananias objected because he knew who Saul was. He knew how Saul was putting people who followed the gospel of Christ into prison, and he knew how some had been killed. Jesus assured Ananias that Saul was to be a faithful servant to him and so Ananias obeyed. This is what we are supposed to do: obey the instructions we get from God, no matter what they may be. He may tell us to do something which could in the natural put us in harm’s way; however, we should be assured that God is with us. He has us in the palm of his hand. But we must know that it is God who is speaking. Ananias obeyed, and he prayed for Saul, and he received his sight, was baptized, and became filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as Saul’s reputation changed, ours can too, as we follow the path God has set for us.
Saul receiving his sight was like being delivered from spiritual darkness and when he received the Holy Spirit, he arose to walk in the newness of life. Now after Saul’s conversion, he went into the synagogue preaching and teaching Christ. The people were amazed, and some were afraid. They said, isn’t this the man who persecuted people who worshipped Jesus? Isn’t this what people do when we leave them when we leave a life of sin and turn to Christ? They remember our reputation, the one we had before Christ. They remember and talk about how we were drug addicts or dealers. How we were alcoholics, or how we walked in all kinds of sexual immorality, we were liars, cheaters, adulterers, backstabbers, etc. Our past reputation may linger, but it is our transformation that truly matters. As we walk in the newness of life, we can create a new reputation that reflects Christ’s love and grace in our lives. And our reputation now grounded in Christ, serves as a testimony to others of the transformative power of faith.
Saul knew they were talking, but he did not listen to what they were saying about him. Our reputation before Christ can haunt us, but it should not define us. It’s important to understand that while they remember our reputation, it’s our new identity in Christ that truly matters. He knew his past, but he also knew God had a great work for him. He knew that Jesus was the Christ, the savior of the world. The Messiah, the one they had been waiting on, the one promised by God.
Paul continued to preach Christ and the Jews, his people, and his countrymen were displeased. He was no longer part of their click; he was no longer part of their group, so they sought to destroy him. They wanted him dead. Isn’t this what people we used to run with do sometimes? They try to destroy us, not physically, but they try to kill us with their words. They say that we haven’t changed, it’s all an act and before long everyone will know it because we will come back. They talk about all the wrong things we did.
But God has a way. Just like he had people to help Paul by providing a way of escape, he provides a way of escape for us. He helps us by placing genuine saved people in our lives that will help us endure tests and trials. The people called Paul’s reputation into question, but God wanted to use Paul mightily. However, for this to happen, Paul had to leave Damascus. He had to separate himself from the people who were trying to kill him. And often we must do the same, separate ourselves from people who want to destroy us. If we don’t, we will not survive. Let us remember, we are not our past. When we accept Jesus and become born again, we become new creatures, old things are passed away, our reputation is transformed, and behold, all things become new.
