Last post, I wrote about the best piece of advice I’d ever received. And it genuinely is. I know of people who have said they want to become a doctor, and then felt pressured to follow that path even though their heart wasn’t in it. I know people who have a political opinion that makes them unwilling to listen to other points of view because it might make them look weak if they realise they agree with the opposite view point. (Please don’t take that as a political dig, everyone has reasons for their opinions and my intention is not to judge or tell you what your opinion should be!) I know people who have formed an opinion about someone and that has never changed, despite the person in question changing as they have grown up or progressed through life.
It’s this final example I wanted to highlight today. My second biblical example of a person who changes their mind is Saul/Paul. A man of influence who persecuted people who believed in and followed Jesus after he had died and risen, he stood by and watched as Stephen was martyred in Jerusalem. He scattered the early Church, driving them out of Jerusalem, and then travelled the surrounding area to throw more followers of Jesus in jail or have them killed.
On one hand, Saul believes he is doing what is right, to protect the purity of the Jewish faith and to follow the rules and laws handed down since Abraham. Maybe he is trying to protect the innocent people from what many considered to be a dangerous cult. On the other hand, he does it with great zeal and passion. Maybe he enjoys the power and influence he has a bit too much. Either way, Jesus has other plans.
On the way to Damascus to sentence more followers of Jesus to death, Saul is met bby a blinding light and a loud voice. The voice, heard only by Saul (his travel party heard thunder, but not words) asks, “Why are you persecuting me?” Saul asks who is speaking and the voice says, “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting. Go into Damascus and I will tell you what to do.”
Now Saul is left blind and has to be led into Damascus, and he doesn’t eat or drink for three days. A follower of Jesus named Ananias comes to Saul and prays for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Scales fall from Saul’s eyes and he can see again.
The thing is that Saul has a reputation. He has power and influence within the Jewish faith, and he has become known as someone who hates Jesus and Jesus’ followers. After this, he changes his mind completely. Instead of staying on the same path, instead of fading slowly into the background or gradually changing his actions, he completely changes immediately. He starts to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. He became one of the most influential mouthpieces for the early church, spreading the message through the surrounding cities and across countries.
Saul changed his mind about Jesus because of an encounter with him. He learns something new and doesn’t let his reputation or previous opinions get in the way of changing direction and starting something new. Are we ever stuck in a way of thinking because we are scared to change our minds, scared of what others will think or feel pressured by expectations of the world to think or act a certain way? Admittedly, we won’t all have a Road to Damascus experience to help us change our minds, but do we ever miss subtle encounters that might show us that we were wrong about someone or something, or that someone or something has changed?
Changing your mind about anything requires courage, and sometimes it requires time and patience and that’s ok too. But you never have to feel trapped because of what you have said, thought or done. It is always ok to change your mind.
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