Acts 9:18

"And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."
Acts 9:18


Some of the stories of dramatic conversion in the scriptures (for example here, Saul/Paul, and in the Book of Mormon, Alma the Younger or King Lamoni) are powerful to us I think because they are swift and immediate changes rather than slow realizations. One day, Saul was asking for letters that gave him authority to persecute and bind the Christians, and three days later he was fully converted, baptized, and shortly began preaching Christ in the synagogues. I think it is an amazing illustration of repentance, and how knowing the truth can turn your entire life around. Saul didn't hesitate or wait, worried about how it would look to his friends or colleagues. He realized the truth, and changed his whole life because of it. Even though our realizations are often less dramatic than Saul's (perhaps thankfully so because being struck blind for three days would be very scary), we're still capable of the same kind of dedication. Unfortunately, it's hard. Just like Saul, when faced with the truth of Christ, we have to radically change our minds and our hearts and our actions, and it is easy to wimp out and worry about what people will say or how they will mock us, or to feel like we can't actually overhaul our lives that much. The great thing is, God is around to help us, just as much as he helped Saul. And if we try, he'll send people to help heal and support us, and he'll help us make those big changes in ourselves, becoming different people than we used to be. Today, let's make the hard choice to change ourselves for good, and live closer to Christ and the truth of his gospel. :)