One Little Change

…”Saul Saul why do you persecute me.” Acts 1:4

I learned something new and it’s been bubbling in my heart for a few weeks.  Since I’m a little long on tasks and a little short on writing minutes I thought I’d share this little tidbit with all of you and  let you ponder on it a little.

The story of Saul to Paul is powerful and  packed full of lessons.  Saul sought power and fame. He was on a mission to exert his superiority over every  Christian he could sniff out.  I’m sure his name was known by many and feared by many as well.  For the life of me I can’t imagine wanting to be feared, desiring to conquer others and to achieve greatness because of it.  Saul was big stuff and I think he liked it that way.  

I was searching for videos to use for morning prayer with the staff at school and came across a clip of Jim Caviezel, the actor who played Jesus in Mel Gibson’s movie Passion of the Christ.  In this clip he said Saul means; great one and Paul means; little one.  One little letter changes and the difference is enormous.  Isn’t it funny that after his powerful conversion Saul who sought to be great in the eyes of the world became Paul who wrote, taught, prayed and led us all to learn to be little.  The holy are little, the kind are little, the saints were little.  I realized everyone I try to be like in my daily life is little in terms of earthly standards.

As I pondered the difference between being great in the eyes of the world and being little in the eyes of the Father, I suddenly felt the weight lift from my shoulders because being little seemed so much more important and doable than trying to please the world; live up to it’s standards and concern myself with position and power.  So, my word of the year is STOP and now I am inspired to stop trying to be anything but LITTLE!

A Seed To Plant:  Where will you be little this week?​

Blessings on your day!