Anyone who has gone to Sunday School knows the story of Saul’s conversion. But how many of us are familiar with the name Ananias? When we tell the story of Saul, we briefly mention Ananias, but he is not the star of the show.
Ananias had a big decision to make. Would he do what God asked him to do? It was extremely dangerous. In fact, it could cost him his life. What if Saul was pretending in order to get the followers of Jesus to come out so he could catch them and have them thrown in prison or killed?
In a vision, the Lord told Ananias, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” Acts 9:11-12 This is a vision Ananias is operating out of. He is being asked to go meet with a person who is known for terrorizing the followers of Jesus. Not only that, he is being asked to place hands on this person to restore his sight!
I wonder if I awoke from a vision like that if I would get up and go or if I would spend the rest of the day wondering what I ate that made me have that kind of dream. If someone who was terrorizing me was struck blind, I might be happy that he would be hindered in his terrorizing. I might say, “God’s judgment is falling on him for what he is doing.”
Ananias needed a little more convincing, so the Lord said again, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:15-16 The Lord not only told him to go, but he told him why it was so important. And in obedience to the Lord, Ananias got up and went. He did exactly as the Lord asked him to do in the vision.
“Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” Acts 9:17-19 Saul had been struck blind, and heard a voice from heaven. He had been told to go into the city and wait. For a person who was used to ‘doing’, it must have been hard. He apparently was fasting and doing a lot of soul searching for a couple of days until Ananias came.
Saul was already very well educated in the Jewish traditions and laws. He became a powerful messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, able to convince people from all different traditions that Jesus was the Christ who came to save them. Much of our New Testament is made up of his letters to churches he started throughout the Mediterranean area. What if Ananias had refused to go? What then would have become of Saul? Would he have died a cranky old man because he was blind?
And then there was Peter… he also had a vision. His vision was to eat from food that was considered unclean in the Jewish tradition. After that vision, he was told to go down to meet the people who had come to find him. They were servants of Cornelius. When Peter went as asked to, Cornelius and his whole household were saved. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.” Acts 10:44-46
What if Peter had said no? At what point would the message of Jesus have gotten to those not from the Jewish tradition?
It is not that God could not have found another way, but because these men said ‘Yes’ to what the Lord asked them to do in a vision, God used them in powerful ways to advance his kingdom here on earth.
A bigger question I have is why God chose Ananias and Peter in those circumstances. Is it because he knew their hearts and knew that they would be willing to go? If so, then I wonder where my heart is at on the ‘willingness’ scale. If the Lord gave me a vision to go meet with a known terrorist, would I go? How much have I allowed God’s love for all the world – including detestable people – to fill me and make me ready to go when called? Peter didn’t start out at this point. He was arrogant, proud and blustery. But when he realized how much Jesus loved him in spite of all of that and after he failed miserably on his own, he was a changed man. And it was this changed man who was able to say, “yes, I’ll go,” when he was called.
How much am I allowing this same Jesus to change me? What will it take for me to become the humble servant that can say, “Here I am, Lord – send me!”
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