Gives Us New Eyes

“Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.”

Galatians 2:10 NLT

In his earlier days, prior to his encounter with Jesus, Paul had a heart that burned for the Jewish traditions. He was driven. He was zealous. If there was a Pharisees against Sadducees basketball game, Paul would have been picked first. He was that good.

Then outta nowhere he undergoes a radical life change. He’s transformed from the inside out. God had a greater plan. The world would never be the same.

His life was flipped upside down. Everything he once knew, everything he once believed, everything that instilled purpose in his life was viewed from a new perspective. God took away Paul’s sight and gave him new eyes. God equipped Paul with everything he would need: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Filled with a new purpose, consumed with a new fire, Paul set out to preach the gospel.

After meeting with James, Peter, and John, individuals Paul refers to as “pillars of the church,” they concluded there was nothing to teach Paul. There was nothing to add. Nothing to change. When Jesus is the centerpiece of your teaching there’s nothing else to add.

I find it interesting that the one thing, the one item that they did encourage Paul to do, was to continue helping, continue reaching out to the poor. Preach the gospel. Help the poor and needy. Don’t get caught up in the busyness of your day, don’t allow yourself to be distracted by trivial problems, be the hands and feet of Christ.

People are homeless. People are starving. People are in desperate need. Pray for God to place a burden in your heart for the poor. Pray for God to ruin you, to break your heart for those desperate to find hope.

Pray for God to open your eyes as He once opened Paul’s.