And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Acts 9:7-9
When people are converted, those around them seldom understand. Paul’s conversion experience was admittedly more dramatic than most, but the reaction by those with him are typical in some ways.
They stood speechless. This means more than that they did not speak. It points to the fact that when non-believers see one of their companions changed by the Holy Spirit, they simply do not know what to make of it. As new converts, we want our families and friends to be happy, but it is unnatural for them to be happy when they cannot understand what has happened. Add to that, confusion that some are fearful for us because it is commonly thought that something bad has happened to people who “get religious!” Therefore, we do well to be patient with them.
They heard a voice, but saw no one. We need not wonder whose voice they heard. When Saul (by then, Paul) recounted his conversion experience in Acts 22:9, he made it clear that “they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.” They heard only Paul’s voice. They saw the blinding light (Acts 22:9), but heard only Paul talking to, well, to no one as far as they could tell. This no doubt added to their confusion.
They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. This reveals the fact that they genuinely cared for Saul, even though they did not understand what had happened to him. This is a good reminder that even non-believers “love those who love them” (Matthew 5:46). Their kindness was admirable, even though the motivation was not spiritual in nature. When non-believers do not understand our love for Christ, we ought not be surprised. And even if their concern is not an encouragement, but is often intended to discourage us in our faith, let us be understanding. We didn’t always understand either. Let be graciously thankful for their concern.