One Encounter = Change

---
I love getting into discussions, not arguments, but civil discussions about a variety of things that interest me,  mostly about how & why we're here and what we're supposed to do and when this leads to the Bible, which it usually does understandably in this western world saturated with Christianity, I bounce things off of people to see what they believe.  More than anything I want to know what people believe and why.

I blog when I can't contain something.  Today it's about an encounter with Jesus.  From my perspective and considering the events described in the New Testament, it appears that one can not avoid being changed, radically, forever, with just one encounter with Jesus.

Numerous accounts of people being healed, being transformed, continuing on to lead significantly altered lives.

As much as I question what is in the Bible as to whether it is literal or figurative.  God inspired, or just advice from someone to a group concerning a specific circumstance, the one thing that still stands out is that everyone who encounters Jesus is changed.

Regardless of what I believe and what is true, in the Bible, what is undeniable is that Jesus changed me and many others like no other.

One encounter with the risen Christ and Saul became Paul and went on 4 mission trips planting churches and spreading the gospel.  Subsequently writing more then 50% of the New testament.  A radical change from the persecution he'd been spear-heading prior.

The woman at the well, who avoided public contact, now went and evangelized a whole town.

Bartimaeus had his sight restored, the lame walked.  A lady just touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed after 12 years of no relief from any other source.

The learned, like Nicodemus acknowledged the evidence of God with Jesus and questioned his ideals, experiencing a paradigm shift in his thinking and understanding of this new way.

A lunatic running naked between the grave yards, unable to be held by chains, is healed and found clothed, in his right mind and at the feet of Jesus.

I had an encounter and the next thing I know I'm headed for Africa on a mission trip.

I've been to churches and seen many people who attend church whose lives do not reveal any radical changes.  I do not know how this can be, in light of what I have presented above.

What about you, what has changed for you due to your encounter with the risen Christ?



Practice compassion and random acts of kindness.  Let your light shine before men and acknowledge why you can't contain it.

Namaste

---