stephen R Harrison

As I read Acts 9 earlier this week, a phrase leapt off the page. “Brother Saul…” Those words reminded me of how fast Jesus can change someone’s life and how we are then to see them as He does. A lot happened in a few verses. At the beginning of Acts 8, Saul was present and approving of the stoning of the first Christian martyr Stephen. As chapter 9 begins, “Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples”. He then asked the high priest for letters to help identify other Christians so he could imprison and perhaps kill them as well. But something miraculous happened. In fact, it’s the same kind of miracle that happens today when Jesus changes anyone’s life.

Jesus intervened that day. He stopped a blasphemous Saul in the middle of his evil plan and said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). Jesus revealed himself to Saul that day…a day that would eternally change Saul’s life. Jesus gave Saul new life. The men traveling with Saul were speechless at what they had just heard. Now blinded, Saul got up as he was instructed to go into the city and wait for his next move. Think about how vulnerable he was at this point! The Lord then moved a man in a different city named Ananias through a vision to visit Saul and “place his hands on him to restore his sight” (v. 12). As you can imagine, this gave Ananias great pause, as it probably would anyone. Ananias knew the “many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to God’s holy people in Jerusalem,” and he knew “he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Jesus’ name” (v. 14). Why would Ananias want to go visit this man who had approved of killing his Christian brothers and sisters and could likely do the same to him?

Jesus replied to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (v. 15). Ananias knew when Jesus changed a man, he really changes him. It happened to him. He had seen Jesus miraculously change many others. If God could do that for them, Ananias trusted God could do the same for even wicked Saul. Of all the first words Ananias could have said to Saul, he began by placing his hands on him, and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus…” (v. 17). He could have led with, “Wicked Saul”, or “Murderous Saul”, or numerous other expletives towards an evil man who had murdered some of his closest friends, family, and followers of Jesus. He could have placed his hands around his neck and strangled him or punched his lights out! But he didn’t. He trusted and obeyed the Lord and now saw Saul as the Lord Jesus saw him. He was now, and forever, “Brother Saul”.

Ananias saw Saul as forgiven by God and forgave him in the way the Lord had forgiven him. Ananias no longer saw him as an enemy, but now as a brother. A lot can happen in a couple of verses. Jesus can change someone eternally in an instant! From a murderous threat to God’s people in Acts 9:1 to a humbled born-again man by Acts 9:5, Saul was radically and eternally changed. Once Saul was a murderous enemy, now he was a precious brother. Isn’t that how we should see those who have come to trust Jesus by grace through faith? Perhaps they were our worst enemies before. Maybe they caused us and others great harm in the past. Now that Jesus has saved them, we must see them differently. We must see them as Jesus does – forgiven, changed, brand new. Now, they are our “Brother Saul”. 

Jesus, thank you for saving me. Help me see others the way you do. Help me pray for my enemies and rejoice when they come to the faith. I trust you can make anyone who calls on you brand new and born again. Help me forgive as you forgave me (Colossians 3:13). Lord, only you can change a blasphemer into a brother. By your grace, give us more “brother Sauls”.