"When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple."

Acts 9:26 (NIV)

Fear makes us blind to God's transforming power. Paul arrived in Jerusalem seeking fellowship with other believers. The disciples had every reason to be cautious about him. He had been their chief persecutor just months earlier. Their fear was understandable, but it blinded them to something extraordinary.

Past reputation often blocks present reality from our view. The Jerusalem church could only see Paul's dangerous history. They remembered the terror he had brought to their community. They forgot that God specializes in transforming His enemies into advocates. In 1945, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's former pilot became a Christian missionary. Even the most unlikely people can experience radical transformation through Christ.

Spiritual discernment sees beyond surface-level appearances and obvious conclusions. While everyone else focused on Paul's threatening past, Barnabas saw differently. He recognized genuine transformation where others saw only deception. Spiritual eyes see what natural eyes miss completely. God's perspective reveals potential that human wisdom cannot detect.

Transformation is God's specialty, not human achievement or personal effort. Paul didn't earn acceptance through good behavior over time. His conversion was sudden, supernatural, and complete from the moment it happened. The disciples struggled to believe this was possible. They expected gradual change, but God works in dramatic ways.

Divine perspective allows us to see people as God sees them. Barnabas had learned to look at people through God's eyes. He saw Paul's future ministry, not just his past mistakes. This spiritual vision enabled him to take risks others wouldn't take. It gave him courage to advocate when others stayed silent.

Godseekers, ask God to give you His eyes for the people around you. Stop letting past failures define present possibilities in others' lives. Look for evidence of God's transforming work in unlikely places. Choose to see potential where others see only problems. Trust that God can change anyone, including people who seem impossible to reach.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You see things we cannot see with our natural eyes. Give us spiritual discernment to recognize Your transforming work in people's lives. Help us look beyond past mistakes and present circumstances. Open our hearts to believe that You can change anyone completely. Remove our fear and prejudice that blind us to Your grace. Give us courage to see potential where others see problems. Make us people who celebrate transformation instead of dwelling on reputation. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Personal Reflection

1. What past experiences or reputations are preventing you from seeing God's potential in specific people around you?
2. How can you develop spiritual eyes that recognize genuine transformation even when others remain skeptical?

Step of Faith

Today, I will look for evidence of God's work in someone others have written off or dismissed.