Galatians 1: They Praised God Because of Me

“I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me.” -Galatians 1:22-24

Imagine your church’s leaders reporting, “Remember that guy who was trying to arrest the pastor and shut down our church? He became a Christian. Now he’s a missionary.”

What would your first thought be?

Skepticism? Perhaps. In a world where trickery reigns, the idea of a true conversion is often questioned. Certainly, some of early believers responded likewise.

Injustice? “How could God save him? He deserves judgment.” Whether an felon who converts on death row or the abuser who prays a sinner’s prayer on his death bed, it’s tough to resist the urge to say, “No, that’s not fair.” But the truth of the Bible is that none of us is deserving. Grace is a gift whether to you or to me or to those who appear either more or less deserving.

But praise? I confess this would not have been my initial reaction, but it was among the early church’s members. They saw conversion from the right perspective–the transformation of a heart by Jesus, who alone forgives sins and changes lives. As a result, they praised God when they heard the news of Paul’s faith.

Let me challenge you with one thought today: When you are surprised by God’s works, praise him. Whether something good, bad, or bland, praise him. We will for all eternity. And with how he has already changed us, we have every reason to start right now, today.

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Dillon Burroughs is the author and coauthor of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of all 31,173 verses of the Bible at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com.