One of the truths I love about Saul/Paul’s story is that it isn’t just
about him. This wasn’t just about his
individual self-actualization or isolated self-development. In fact, as Saul/Paul is stuck/stymied
somewhere in the messy midst of orientation (what he thought he knew) ~
disorientation (God disrupting his five-day carefully planned/plotted life of
rounding up Christians) ~ reorientation (a new way of incorporating and
including those people he excluded), God is at work in the life
of a disciple named Ananias. Read now
these words from: Acts 9:10-18
Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to
him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The
Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the
house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and
he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on
him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias
answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has
done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has
authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But
the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring
my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I
myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So
Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul[c] and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus,
who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And
immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored.
Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained
his strength.
I wonder if you have ever had an “Ananias” in your life? This could be a mentor, teacher, someone who helped you recognize and realize a new way of being? Notice, the narrative above isn’t all warm and fuzzy ~ I think this meeting between Ananias and Saul/Paul was awkward with some unresolved emotions. I can imagine Ananias knocking softly on the door, secretly hoping Saul/Paul doesn’t answer so he can just walk away saying, “Welp, God, I tried. Appears he isn’t home.” I picture the door opening, Ananias head hanging down realizing he must go in and talk to the very person who was persecuting his follow followers of the Way of Jesus. I wonder if Ananias at first kept his distance? I wonder what led Ananias to lay his hands on Saul/Paul? Sometimes having someone hold our hand is the most healing action we can do. Who has been Ananias there in those moments of orientation to disorientation to reorientation? Who is an Ananias in your life right now, today? Let your responses to these questions sing and simmer in your soul this day. Amen.
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