This week, we met a man named Paul—but when we first met him, he was known as Saul. Saul was a Pharisee, a religious leader who thought he was doing the right thing by stopping the followers of Jesus. He was full of determination—but it was the wrong kind. Saul was harsh and unkind to Christians, and he had permission to arrest them in faraway cities.
One day, Saul was walking the road to Damascus with a mission to cause trouble. But then something incredible happened.
Suddenly, a bright light from heaven flashed all around him, and he fell to the ground. He heard a voice say,
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Saul was stunned. “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.
The voice replied,
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:4–5)
When Saul got up, he couldn’t see. He had been struck blind! His traveling companions had to take him by the hand and lead him the rest of the way to Damascus. For three days, Saul didn’t eat or drink anything. He waited. He prayed. And in that waiting, something began to change deep inside of him.
Then God sent a man named Ananias to find Saul. Ananias was nervous—he had heard all the terrible things Saul had done. But God said,
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name.” (Acts 9:15)
Ananias placed his hands on Saul and said,
“Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus who appeared to you on the road—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17)
Right then, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. He could see again—and he saw everything differently. His heart was changed. Saul was baptized, and he became Paul, one of the most important messengers of Jesus the world has ever known.
But here’s something important: Paul wasn’t changed all at once. Even after his powerful encounter, it took time. He had to grow, to learn, and to be guided by others. Big changes don’t always happen in a flash—even when God is involved. Sometimes, God works in us slowly, steadily, beautifully.
What We Learned:
- God can change anyone—even someone who was once an enemy.
- Jesus meets us where we are, even when we’re headed the wrong way.
- Real transformation takes time and sometimes help from others.
- God’s love is patient, powerful, and always at work.
In class, we talked about what it means to grow and change with God’s help. To celebrate transformation, each of our kids painted a colorful butterfly wind chime—a reminder that even when we can’t see it right away, God is shaping something beautiful in us. We hope they bring joy and gentle music to every home.
See you in church next Sunday!
