The Day That Changed Everything

The Day That Changed Everything

The day began much like every other day recently. His workload was getting to be overwhelming. There was civil unrest in the streets of the city. Most of the upheaval was due, it seemed, to a new radical religious fervor. Even though his job was demanding and unpleasant, he performed it with passion. Perhaps it was because, he too, was also quite religious. After all, he had a background in religious studies. It was said, by many, that he was the most brilliant student who ever attended the school. But the threat to normalcy caused by this new movement, known as The Way, had led him to abandon the books and become a bounty hunter.
Today he would seek warrants from the officials allowing him to arrest any persons, men or women, who were members of this new sect. There were reports of the movement spreading to the northeast in a city about 150 miles away. It would be an arduous trip, but well worth it if he could capture some of these criminals and bring them back to stand trial. He remembered many trials, but one stood out in his mind. It was the trial of a young spokesman for the people of The Way. His trial ended with a verdict of death. There was something haunting about the way that young man had died. He had a peace about him that the bounty hunter could never forget.
With warrants in hand and officers to accompany him, the bounty hunter began the journey from Jerusalem to Damascus. He had almost reached the city when his day and his life were suddenly interrupted by a heavenly light and a haunting question. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” That day changed everything, The direction he was traveling in life was rerouted. Saul, the feared enemy became Paul, the fearless evangelist.

—Terry Morrison