The Apostle Paul was a prominent, well-respected, well-educated, powerful rabbi. He was intimidating and resourceful, a political force and a man of the world. When Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, his life changed. No, he did not lose his position in society, his pedigree, his presence or his political savvy. It’s just that none of that mattered quite as much to him afterward. At the feet of Jesus Christ, things change. People change.

St. Paul had every reason to brag about his accomplishments. In that regard, he shared frailties we understand. We like to talk about our intuitive investments, our well-tended properties, our well-mannered children. If a hidden microphone were to record our conversations, our tendencies to dominate them, forcing our interests and ideas on others might be a little discomforting. Maybe we need to spend a bit more time at the feet of Jesus too.

After his conversion, the Apostle continued to boast, but his thoughts began to take him in other directions. “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world,” he wrote in his Letter to the Galatians. His admirable Jewish pedigree even took a backseat. “For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule.” Now, that is something to talk about—someone, in fact.