After Damascus

Scripture: Acts 9:26 – “When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.” (NRSVUE)

We always hear about “Road to Damascus” moments in people’s lives. Even in our secular age, people know at least the broad details of the story. Saul( who will eventually change his name to Paul) was a great persecutor of the church, but as he traveled to the city of Damascus, he was overwhelmed by a bright light. From the light, the voice of Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul was struck blind. Reluctantly, a believer named Ananias prayed for him, and when he did, the scales fell from Saul’s eyes. He could see again, and more importantly, he too was a believer.

A bright flash, a change in the way we see, and a complete transformation of who we are. This is what a “Road to Damascus” means. But what happens next? I think that too often we focus on the exciting, flashy moment of transformation and not the hard work that comes after it. But it is the slow, unexciting, daily choices that really change us.

After Saul converts, he begins to preach the truth of Jesus in Damascus until he upsets the wrong people, and they try to kill him. Saul barely escapes and desperately makes his way to the primary Christian church in Jerusalem. They do not welcome him with open arms. They do not celebrate that he once was blind, but now he sees. They are afraid of him and think he is lying. Eventually, they ship him back to his hometown of Tarsus when he stirs up too much trouble. Saul has to slowly prove himself, and with the help of a leader named Barnabas, he eventually becomes an effective apostle, planting churches throughout what is now Türkiye and Greece.

Saul’s spiritual change might have been sudden, but he had to work hard to actually transform his life. He faced a lot of setbacks and disappointments. Imagine struggling to achieve your goals and having the people you rely on most turn their backs on you. But he kept at it. He refused to back away, even when it put him in danger. The small, steady work is what transformed his life.

With a new year come many resolutions. We create visions of ourselves who are healthier, happier, kinder, and more productive. Perhaps we have had a “Road to Damascus” moment where we realized where our poor choices had led us. But we still have to do the work. Are you still as focused on your goals on January 7 as you were on January 1? Do you think you will be on February 7 or July 7?

Despite what it says in history books, newspapers, and influencer posts, change is not flashy. It is tedious and sometimes it is barely noticeable. You may take two steps forward and one step back. Where do you find the strength to keep going? From God. Saul’s strength did not come from his own mind or heart, but from a commitment to God, and that sense of God’s transforming presence is what allowed him to persevere despite all the threats and setbacks in his life. Turn to God and take one step at a time until you really are transformed into the person God wants you to be.

Prayer: God, give me a little strength to change today, and a little strength to change tomorrow, and before I know it, I will truly be changed. Amen.