So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
I am at the Circuit Visitors Conference at Camp Lone Star in La Grange, Texas. We are discussing a number of important issues. Most recently we are discussing pastoral formation – the process of training and equipping men to serve as faithful Lutheran pastors. Our District President spoke of his days at the seminary. He was told, “We are not here to help you grow spiritually. We are here to teach you theology.” He said there was little attention given to character and spiritual maturity.
Contrast that with what we teach in PLI today. Our approach is not only leadership training, but it is leadership within the context of a well-formed character. Character is not only contextual, but intentionally formed. Our District President is a man of remarkable character. Singular in his faithfulness, integrity, and good will. And it all started for him as a youth.
Paul’s comment, “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem,” indicates that his character was well-formed from his earliest years. It manifested itself in his extreme dedication to the Jewish religious practices and education. He identified himself as part of the strictest part of his religion.
But character needs constantly to be shaped. Sometimes it is a matter of little corrections. A friendly word, a challenge from a pastor, a request from a brother or sister in Christ can serve to make these little corrections. Sometimes there may need to be a stronger reshaping. Once I had to ask an elder to step aside from his duties until he and his wife repaired their fractured relationship. Thankfully he did. Another time I had to remove a confirmation teacher who was in an immoral sexual relationship. Sadly it does not seem to have reshaped him.
I’ve never seen anyone struck to the ground, hearing Jesus speak to him or her! But Paul’s conversion was dramatic, and his character radically reshaped!
My own spiritual journey is unlike Paul’s except in regard to my earliest spiritual formation. I was raised in a Christian family, and attended Sunday School and church throughout my youth. It was not a strict religious environment, but it was dedicated. My character has experienced reshaping throughout my life. Some of those reshaping moments have been difficult. Other have been almost pleasant.
But I am very much like Paul as he expresses in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I…am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” God is at work in our lives to shape us more and more into the image of Christ – whatever our training from our youth may have been. So we must not think we’re finished growing in our faith or character, but remain humble and open to the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts and minds.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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