I am the worst

1 Timothy 1:12-16 NLT

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal lifetime .

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Are you a prime example?  Every time I read this passage I'm encouraged. You see, God did something exciting and Paul tells us about it here.

Look at the words that Paul uses to describe himself: Blasphemer, insolent, ignorant, unbeliever, and persecutor.  And as the coup d'etat of the mini autobiography, Paul says in effect, "I am the worst sinner."

Contrast that with what God does in him.
The man who met God now says :

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord
Given me strength
Considered me trustworthy
Appointed me to serve him
God had mercy on me
How generous and gracious our Lord was
Filled me with faith and love

What a transformation! What a difference!

So what should our conclusion be then? How should we respond to this tale of transformation? What's the moral to the story? Don't mock a story with a moral. Here is one and it's aimed at your heart. It is meant to stir your emotions. After reading Paul's testimony, you should be scratching your head and thinking, "Could God change me?"
The answer is yes!
You can be different! You can be changed. There is hope for you. If there was hope for Paul, then there can be hope for you. And you don't have to conjure up a change. You just have to believe it is possible. You just have to know it is needed.

Look at how Paul describes this turning of a new leaf.

The strength to change was given by Christ.
Christ considered him trustworthy.
Christ appointed him to serve.
God had mercy on Paul.
The Lord was generous and gracious. The Lord filled Paul with faith and love.
Christ Jesus came to save sinners!
God had mercy on him.
Christ Jesus used him for an example.

This was and is a work of God! God can do this in you! God can do this in those you love. God can do this in your enemies. God can do this in you.

And hopefully, when you too are a completely different person, people will look at you and say, wow look what God has done. Maybe God can do that in me too?