Acts 23:31-35 NKJV

[31] Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. [32] The next day, they left the horsemen to go on with him and returned to the barracks. [33] When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. [34] And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia, [35] he said, “I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

There was a distinct separation between the Jews and the Romans. Paul's Roman background gave him the proper shelter needed to remain safe from the Jewish mob wanting to kill him. His lineage played a valuable role in more than just physical safety. Coupled with his faith, Paul was the perfect fit for bridging the gap between Christianity and the Romans.

Most of us want to put as much distance as possible between us and our past. Much of my darkness is a distant memory. I don't dwell on it. I avoid regretting it, and I seldom revisit many of the details. It is more or less a form of self-preservation. The further, the better.

I think it is important to note that, while we may be done with our past, God isn't always finished using it. My new identity is in Christ. My past identity is a tarnished mess. That regrettable past isn't useless. It makes me relatable with others who struggle with the same sins. If He can make beauty from ashes, imagine what He can do with us.

Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in His own image;