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“And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn’t know me personally. All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” And they praised God because of me.” Galatians 1:22-24

These verses triggered some thoughts this morning.

I thought about the ripple effect of a reputation.
Who we are and what we stand for can reach destinations far beyond what we could ever fathom.
It was true in Paul’s day and it’s true in our day too.

I thought about the incredible impact Paul’s transformation must have had on people who thought they were beyond redemption, who thought they had taken one too many wrong turns.

I wonder how often people heard Paul’s testimony back then and praised God because of him. I wonder how often it happens now.

Personally, I know how it impacted me one morning years ago as I sat on my back porch reading a portion of his journey.  It dawned on me that morning… if God can refer to a man like Paul as his “chosen instrument” maybe there is hope for me. Maybe there’s a seat reserved for me in that symphony too.

This morning, I needed the reminder that God’s love for us is infinitely bigger than a bad day. His love for us covers our worst seasons.

It’s not too late.  Grace triumphs.

Earlier this week, I read a great post by Margaret Feinberg who shared that in her fight against cancer “joy would be her weapon.” I love that. Yesterday, I kept relaxing my grip around that weapon. I kept allowing the circumstances around me to dictate my attitude.

But today is a new day.  And today, I choose joy.