Observation: Paul's ministry is based on a big claim. He retells the story here in his letter to the Galatian church, that he is the only person besides Jesus' original followers to whom the risen Lord personally appeared. According to Paul, this changed his heart and his life, turning him from violently persecuting Christians to enthusiastically sharing their message.
Application: I had a good conversation with our confirmation class via Zoom this past Sunday. We discussed times in our lives when someone really changed our minds. I can only think of a handful of times when one single conversation or moment really made me do a 180 degree turn, as Paul appears to do. But even those big moments didn't arise out of nothing. Looking back, for every moment of major change in my life, there were half a dozen smaller seeds planted along the way, sometimes years before, that led me to that point. It's very rare to have as dramatic of a moment as Paul has with Jesus. Much more often, we change because God has been preparing us for it for a long time. This is helpful for me to remember when I'm dealing with people or systems that seem to be stuck in their ways, and of course for the many times when I'm feeling a little to stuck in my ways. Change is a little at a time, then all at once, and it's Jesus who does it.
Prayer: Jesus, change my heart today in the way that I need to change. Help me see you in the way that I need to, even if it's not dramatic, and help me remember to look back on my story and give thanks for your faithfulness. Amen.
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