What the World Needs Now - January 26, 2026
Today’s Readings - Psalm 19; Isaiah 45:18-25; Philppians 3:4b-11; Acts 9:1-22
Today is the day on the church calendar when we remember the conversion of St. Paul or Saul of Tarsus. Saul was a Pharisee and a passionate enemy of the early Christian Church. He was well known for his cruel persecution of Jesus’ followers. If he had notches in his belt for every Christian he had imprisoned or put to death, he would have had quite a few. As the story goes, Saul was on the road to Damascus, and he was struck blind by a brilliant white light. In the Acts of the Apostles Luke tells us that Saul heard Jesus’ voice say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” It reads like a Flannery O’Connor short-story - a dramatic conversion moment followed by a baptism that we are told did more than turn Saul’s life around, it changed the very fiber of who he was. From that point forward Saul of Tarsus shed his hate for followers of Jesus and stepped into Paul’s life taking on a single focus – to tell anyone who would listen who Jesus was and to establish the Kingdom of God.
As transformations go this one tops the list of “Most Dramatic.” By nature, I’m very trusting, however I’m also highly skeptical of what I consider “born again” tales, “mountain top” experiences that tend to die soon after, like a flash in the pan.
For most of my life God has spoken to me in a quiet small voice. So subtle in fact that I’m sure I’ve quite often missed it. However, there are more examples than I can count of God’s presence booming into the script of the Hebrew story. Could it be that the Hebrew people were hard of hearing? Or were they just hard-hearted? Paul’s life after his conversion challenges even a skeptic like me. He demonstrated true change. Change that anyone would have found hard not to recognize as sincere. Paul’s life was a constant expression of gratitude to God for the transforming and healing love he received. What Paul did as a result, changed the course of the church in immeasurable ways.
If our history has taught us anything it may be that every generation at some point needs a wake-up call. We are all hard-hearted to some degree. We all need to be shaken to our core occasionally. We all could benefit from more compassion, more love, more faith in the power of God’s transforming love. The world could benefit from it as well.
Questions for Reflection and Challenge - Where in your world, in the circle of people you touch, could you be the voice of compassion, love, forgiveness? Who do you know that needs the healing touch of God’s love.