Earlier this week, I talked about Paul and how God took someone evil and foolish and changed his life! It goes to show you that God can take someone who seems unqualified and make him qualified. When you look around you and think you only see unqualified people trying to run the place, remember that God can use even your enemies! Acts 22:4 draws a clear picture of how sold out for evil Paul was: “And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison.”
Okay, so Paul eventually turned his life around and started serving God. But he had such a dark past. Why is he considered a giant of the faith? He ended up back in Jerusalem, the city where he’d persecute believers—only to find himself sharing the Gospel in that same city! This is an incredible story of life-transformation. Paul no longer lived in separation from God. “This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions” (Colossians 1:21).
While you should hate evil, that’s not justification for feeling hate toward people. One of the best things you can do, something that goes a long way in reaching people for Christ, is see people the way God sees them. “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:12-13).
Think about Paul and the first impression he made on the world. If no one, including God, had believed in him, he wouldn’t have become the giant of faith that he did. He went from being a murderer to founding churches, telling others about Christ, and then being persecuted himself for his faith. He had come so far in his relationship with Christ that he even felt joy while imprisoned.
You have to separate the issue from the person and be versatile! This will come naturally if you learn to see people the way God sees them. Let God rule your life so that you can be more effective for the kingdom. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I’ve become all things to all people that by every means I might reach some.” Whatever you’re struggling with in your life, big or small, leave it at the cross a become a giant of faith! Love the way Paul came to love everyone around him.