Conversion seems to be a theme for the month of May.

The lectionary takes us into the book of Acts and there we find plenty of conversion stories. They may be so familiar to us that they no longer seem remarkable. But they are if they are read in their context. Saul, a devout Pharisee determined to exterminate the early church, was stopped in his tracks on the way to Damascus. After his encounter with Jesus and then Ananias, he became a Christian and the rest, as we say, is history.

Then we read about two women – Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) and Lydia. Women! Early followers of the way of Jesus saw them as Jews. When they reached a new destination in their travels they would go to the synagogue. Women at that time were regarded as lesser mortals – even unclean. But Jesus’ example of reaching out to women must have made an impression because Peter ministered to Tabitha and Paul ministered to the women at Philippi, one of whom was Lydia. The barrier between Jews and Gentiles was also being broken down. Peter’s dramatic vision of unclean animals and being told by God to kill and eat them, prepared him for his visit to the house of Cornelius, the centurion. Paul and Silas were in jail when there was an earthquake. They prevented the jailer from harming himself and assured him the prisoners were all accounted for. The jailer ministered to them, by dressing their wounds from an earlier flogging, and then Paul and Silas led the jailer to Jesus.

What a diverse group of converts we have here; a devout Jew, two women, a Roman soldier and a jailer. Cornelius brought relatives and friends to Jesus with him; Lydia and the Philippian jailer brought along their households including children, servants and slaves.

In May, Methodists reflect on John Wesley’s conversion. His brother, Charles had a similar experience a few days earlier. A strangely warmed heart is not as dramatic as Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road, or the aftermath of a significant earthquake. But it affected John and Charles deeply and inspired them to take the Gospel throughout newly industrialised Britain. Almost 300 years later Methodists – and other denominations, too – continue to sing their faith to Charles Wesley’s hymns and draw inspiration from John Wesley’s journal and sermons.

A conversion does not have to be dramatic. It may be sudden or it may be gradual. Some of us may find it difficult to pinpoint the exact day and time when we came to Jesus, however, we are here. Let us continue to praise and serve him and join John Wesley in saying his final words, “The best of all is that God is with us”.