Paul, who was originally known as Saul was (before his conversion), a bad man. Although well educated man as a lawyer, he was a devout Pharisee who saw Christians as wayward people. As a matter of fact, he hated Christians. He made it his mission to kill Christians and even pursued them to foreign lands if he had to. Consequently, he was feared by the Christians whom he persecuted. He led and supervised the group that stoned Apostle Stephen to death. He really thought he was doing the right thing until one day.
So one day he took permission from the Jewish authorities to arrest and kill Christians in Damascus. On his way Jesus appeared to him, striking a light brighter than the sun in his way. Jesus said “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And Paul replied “who are you Lord?” Saul became blind and was directed to go and meet Ananias in Damascus who would tell him what to do next. For three days Saul fasted and prayed. He was then baptized even as he regained his sight. The experienced transformed him, changing him from the man who once persecuted Christians to a man who became a fervent preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was no longer an enemy to Christianity but a leading light in the kingdom of God. Paul later wrote thriteen books in the New Testament. Indeed, God used him greatly to spread Christianity all over the world.
His conversion shows that God can use anybody for His purpose. This story also teaches us that forgiveness is very important. When he was supervising the killing of Stephen, Stephen prayed for their forgiveness at the point of his death. That same Paul that killed him and many Christians later became an apostle of Jesus Christ and spread the Gospel to many nations.
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