A Blinding Flash

It was a blinding flash. Completely out of the blue, unexpected, the last thing one could imagine.

Saul, the young man in the previous blog, who served as a coat hanger for those stoning Stephen, killing him for speaking truth to power. Saul, a sincere spiritual man, a passionate Jew, proud of his traditions and faith. Saul, who would give everything for the God he believed in. He was no fake or hypocrite. He was genuine – only sincerely and passionately wrong.

Before the blinding flash Saul had grown from a clothes hanger to a brutal persecutor of Christians. He conducted early morning raids on homes, imprisoning, torturing, and killing men and women for insisting on declaring Jesus as Lord, the long awaited Messiah. There was nothing half-hearted about Saul. The problem was that his worldview, his tradition, his teaching, and his leaders were battling against the very God whom they proclaimed to serve. By focusing on their history and tradition they missed what the same God was doing in the present, right before their eyes.

Anyone could make that mistake.

Saul was a product of the culture of his day. Groomed and educated by powerful men, working with the brutal and intolerant Romans to somehow marry the power of the Jewish Temple with the priorities of Rome. Force and intimidation was the method of choice when it came to getting things done, or putting down those who dared think or do anything contrary to the Roman/Temple agenda. Men of God colluded with men of Rome to consolidate power and lose their souls. Saul was the next generation sharpening his teeth on the brutal tactics of his tribe, in the name of God. Compromise with Romans, no compromise with those not like-minded.

As with most bullies their actions were implemented beneath a veneer of officialdom and authorization. Clutching the relevant documents Saul led his group of thugs toward Damascus with a mission to persecute, kill, and destroy. The Christians were terrified, and seemingly powerless as this man with a ruthless reputation approached.

Then came the blinding flash!

Saul fell to the ground, blinded. No idea what was happening. He heard a voice call his name, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?”

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Instead of entering Damascus waving documents of authorization surrounded by his armed gang ready to persecute, Saul stumbled into the city silent, blind, and frightened. Such was his terror we are told that he neither ate nor drank for three days. What was he thinking during that dark time? The man who loved the intellect, loved arguing and debating, and loved ‘having all the answers’, suddenly experienced most of what he believed blowing up in his face.

Saul remained blind for three days, until a brave Christian, Ananias, rather reluctantly visited him after being instructed, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

How do we know that Saul was no fake? Because when faced with truth, and made aware of his misguided understanding he acknowledged the error of his ways and followed Jesus for the rest of his life. With a blinding flash, three days of blindness, time to process, and a voice from heaven, Saul’s life was turned upside down. He would become one of the greatest theologians and missionary teachers in history.

In these chapters of Acts (6 – 9) God reveals his priority, his mercy, and his grace offered to one and all. He was present for Stephen in his suffering, his blinding flash on the Damascus Road was an act of mercy extended to a belligerent and cruel man. His spoken words identified those persecuted Christians as part of him. “Why do you persecute me?”

I keep asking God why he doesn’t allow for more ‘blinding flash’ moments to those causing havoc in this generation? I suppose the answer is similar to when Jesus was asked to perform miracles to silence his critics, or to perform tricks to flaunt his power. He refused to comply. For some, whatever God does will never be enough. Jesus is the greatest blinding flash in all of history. He offered/offers a revelation of a good God, full of love and mercy toward his creation. After releasing the gift of free will he refuses to pull levers. The choices are ours, the consequence are ours, and how we respond is up to us – with outcomes impacting both ourselves and others (often innocent and undeserved).

How did those with relatives and friends who had suffered under Saul’s cruelty respond to the news that he had become ‘one of them’? How can he be forgiven and carry on as if nothing had happened? Sometimes God’s ways are hard to swallow and comprehend.

There were consequences. The Christians in Jerusalem rejoiced that God could touch the heart of a man like Saul, but they didn’t trust him. That took time. They wanted to know it was genuine. Saul became Paul and lived for over ten years out of the limelight, tent-making, learning afresh, and building trust.

Our exhortation and encouragement?

Best be careful of thinking we know it all, or worshipping our traditions. Sincerity and passion does not equate to truth. Being wrong at times facilitates learning. nurtures humility, and attracts integrity. Many chances are a gift from God to those who sincerely reflect, own their stuff, and desire to keep growing. Is their room for such people in our hearts and churches?

Most importantly. What was extended to Saul is made available to every human being. God has no favorites.

Thank God, the One of blinding flashes. that he continues to reach out, forgive, redeem, and offer multiple opportunities to do better next time. Even to those who dogmatically oppose him, disregard him, and never give him the time of day.

He always champions those with no voice, the ones bullied and persecuted for all manner of reasons. “Why do you persecute me?” resonates around the world today.

To echo C.S. Lewis. God is a lion, but he’s not tame.