Christmas was over, and for the most part, Bill Peterson thought everything had gone quite well. With that behind him, he thought he should start thinking about what came next. That is what he was doing when Stella came stomping down the stairs. “Resolution #27” Bill thought to himself, “Make it so Stella can't stomp down the stairs.”
“What are you doing?” snapped,
“Writing Christmas thank yous?” “Resolution # 28 remember to
write Christmas thank yous before summer is over.” Bill thought to
himself and then turning to Stella, he said “You know what time of
the year it is.” “Oh, yeah.” Stella replied, “It's that time
of year when you sit down and make a list of New Year resolutions.”
“So, have you started yours? Bill
asked. “Yeah.” Stella answered, “I've started mine. Do you
want to hear it?” “Sure” Bill said, “What do you have on your
list?” “Well,” Stella said, “The first thing on my list is to
make sure I always get even with Harold.” “What!?” Bill gasped.
“The second thing on my list” Stella continued, “Is to torture
Harold at every opportunity.”
“Hold it right there young lady.”
Bill interrupted her, “That is not the way we are to treat people,
not even Harold.” “Who said Harold was a person.” Stella
started to argue. “Not only is he a person, he’s your brother.”
Bill reminded Stella, “Well, I don’t care.” Stella said, “He
deserves it. He never hesitates to make my life miserable so I’m
going to make his twice as miserable.”
“Does than mean you plan to be twice
as bad as him?” Bill asked “Nobody can be that bad.” Stella
snorted. “Well,” Bill said, “If you treat Harold like you are
planning to, you’ll have to become just like him.” “I never
thought of that.” Stella sighed. “Besides,” Bill added, “I
thought Harold has decided to change.” “If you believe that...”
Stalla scoffed, “I have some lake front property to sell you in the
desert.”
“You don’t believe Harold will
change do you?” Bill asked. “Never in a million years.” Stella
said, “He will always be the same. Rotten to the core.” “This
time he said he was going to let Jesus change him” Bill said
sticking up for Harold. “Yeah, right” Stella scoffed again, “Tell
me another one.” “Well, “ Bill went on, “How many bad things
has Harold done since the sleigh ride?”
“A hundred!” Stella said with
confidence. “Well,” Bill Bill said, “What are they?” “Well,
uh, uh, uh,”Stella stuttered, “I don’t know but he had to have
done something wrong.” “I thought you just said he did a hundred
things wrong.” Bill questioned, “Did you see him do a hundred
things wrong?” “Well, he's Harold!” Stella snapped “He had
to have done something wrong.”
“Sounds like you need to make some
change.” Bill said. “You know.” Stella snapped, “I don’t
have to stand here and listen to all this talk of Harold changing.
I’m leaving,” and then back up the stairs Stella stomped mumbling
under her breath, “I don't need to change. I'm already perfect.”
And Saul approved of his murder.
That very day the church in Jerusalem began to suffer cruel
persecution. All the believers, except the apostles, were scattered
throughout the provinces of Judea and Samaria. Some devout men buried
Stephen, mourning for him with loud cries. But Saul tried to destroy
the church; going from house to house, he dragged out the believers,
both men and women, and threw them into jail. Acts 8:1-3 (TEV)
Can God change a person? We nay think
of Saul the persecutor but we think more often of Paul the
persecuted. They are one in the same but what happened? Let's look
at his story.
But Saul, still breathing threats
and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if
he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached
Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And
falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are
you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what
you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood
speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the
ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they
led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days
he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a
disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision,
"Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And
the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called
Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named
Saul, for behold, he is praying, So Ananias departed and entered the
house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the
Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent
me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy
Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell from his
eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and
taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the
disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the
synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." And all who
heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made
havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not
come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief
priests?" But Saul increased all the more in strength, and
confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was
the Christ. And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join
the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not
believe that he was a disciple.
Acts 9:1-31 (ESV)
There is a little more to the story if
you want to read it all but you can get the point, Saul changed but
the people didn't believe it. He changed because God can change a
person.
- Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, (ESV)
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (ESV)
- Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (ESV)
Change can happen, it can happen for
Harold, it could happen for Stella, and it can happen for us if we
are willing to let Him.
Here's Something To Ponder
- Are you willing to let Jesus change you?
- Are you willing to accept the change Jesus makes in others?
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