"... I persecuted without mercy the church of God and did my best to destroy it. I was ahead of most fellow-Jews of my age in my practice of the Jewish religion, and was much more devoted to the traditions of our ancestors.

But God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him."

(Galatians 1.13-15 GNB)

The mystery of the universe. How can God choose someone, even before he/she was born and despite how he/she lives, to serve Him?

Think of the worst political leader(s) in the world right now, or obnoxious people who are loud and brash and spouting nonsense, or bad criminals who killed many innocent people, or liars who deceive people out of their hard-earned money. Or people from another faith who persecute Christians.

God can choose them too? ... He can.

Like Ananias and Barnabas (Acts 9) who God used to transform Paul's live, as Christians, you and I need to be ready to be used by God to transform lives.