After Paul met the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3-5), he was led, blinded, into the city where Ananias was Christ's agent of healing and prophetic messenger of Paul's future ministry (Acts 9:11-18). After that, he spent a brief time in Jerusalem, but the Greek speaking Jews did not want to have anything to do with him. They tried to kill him (Acts 9:26-30). So the Lord intervened.

When Paul was praying in the Temple, the Lord Jesus spoke to him, telling him to leave the city immediately. But Paul, fresh with the joy of his salvation wanted the religious people to understand his radical change of lifestyle as validating the gospel of Jesus. He was a peacemaker now, having previously been full of hatred. He hoped that his candid testimony, and genuine passion for Jesus, would bring his former friends back on-side with him.

But they did not want to listen. Paul may have 'changed sides' but they had not and would not. More than that, they hated Paul for allying himself with the despised followers of the Way. So they were after his blood. But the Lord had other plans: to send him far away from Israel to what is now Cyprus, Turkey, Greece and Italy. He was sent away ('apostle' means 'sent one') with the gospel, which Gentiles would believe even if Jews refused to listen. It was both a sovereign act of safeguarding Paul's life and the Lord's way of building His church.

It would be nice to think that after you came to Christ, all your former friends will be as excited about Jesus as you. Often they will be confused, distressed and sometimes actively hostile. They may think that in turning to Christ you are rejecting your culture or family. Some may even think you are such a disgrace to the family that it would be better if you were not there. If the Lord tells you to stay and love them, then do that (Acts 18:9-11). But He may tell you to leave, both for your safety and so that you can be a gospel bearer wherever you go (Acts 11:19-21). It is His voice which matters. Listen and obey, not fearing your opponents but eagerly trusting the Lord.