1 Timothy 1:12-16 - “I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve him, even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him. But God was merci- ful to me because I did not yet have faith and so did not know what I was doing. And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and gave me the faith and love which are ours in union with Christ Jesus. This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them, but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life.”

Saul the persecutor, full of hatred for those who followed Jesus, whose very mission in life was to wipe them from the face of the earth, instigator even of murder, became Paul the advocate for that very belief he had been trying to destroy. Our Lord saw in this man the kind of determination He wanted in order to bring His message to the world. The same drive that had been used to kill Jews who were believers was now turned to saving not just those Jews but Gentiles (all others who were not Jews). Paul fought very hard against his own brothers in the faith to convince them that Gentiles were acceptable to Christ. And Paul paid a heavy toll for his faith: He was run out of town, beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and much more in his years of service, yet he did not falter in his dedication. It sure seems that Christ selected the right man for the job.

What about the rest of us? Are we fit to serve? Let me turn that around a bit. Who are we to judge the fitness of anyone who truly serves Jesus? Have we divine vision? Can we see into the heart as our Lord does? Just because “I knew that person when...” does not mean we know that person now. Each of us who has accepted Christ has fallen short of God’s glory, as He is fully aware, and yet He loves us and forgives us anyway. While we may not have an on the road to Damascus transformation, we have accepted Jesus into our heart and He has accepted us, warts and all. We have something to give - not just to offer, but to give freely and often. Whether it is time in prayer, singing hymns and praises, bringing His word to others, preaching, physical labor, mission work, or whatever service, we have a built in ability that God has placed in us to use for His benefit. Our past? It’s gone. Wiped out. Completely erased from our background. Our files have been expunged as far as the Lord is concerned. We may have to deal with echoes of our past while we still breathe but that must not cloud the Lord’s vision for our future. We are to serve as prime examples of just how far the Lord is willing to go to forgive and forget, to bring us into His perfection.