and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 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. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:20-31, NRSV)
Sometimes God has plans that are different than ours.
Sometimes the people that God wants us to welcome are not the people we want to welcome. Here we see Saul after he met Jesus on the road coming to the disciples and they are worried. And rightly so, as Saul was the leading Jew arresting followers of the way. He was putting believers in Jesus being the Messiah in prison. So you and I would be fearful of him. But Barnabas knew the change had happened in Saul and took him before the disciples and said that he was different and Saul had met Jesus.
Saul the most ardent one for arresting followers of Jesus became the most ardent disciple to create new followers of Jesus.
So who do you welcome? And who does God want you to welcome?
aSacredRebel 