13Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. [simple_tooltip content=’1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.
12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.’](Acts 9:1-22)[/simple_tooltip]
Everyone knows about Saul of Tarsus, who later became the apostle Paul. God used him to write much of the New Testament, but do you know the courageous person God used to heal Saul’s blind eyes, minister the baptism of the Holy Spirit to him, and give him the prophecy he based his entire ministry on? We often forget the Anne Sullivans who reach the Helen Kellers of this world; but without these people who aren’t as famous as their disciples, we wouldn’t have people like the apostle Paul.
After this passage of Scripture, Ananias isn’t mentioned again. As far as we know from the biblical account, he never did any other great exploits. Certainly, he never did anything as earthshaking as his ministry to Saul of Tarsus. Nevertheless, Ananias had to have great faith in the Lord to even go near a man who was persecuting and killing Christians, and he was a vital link in the chain of events that brought us one of God’s greatest men.
In our modern day of distorted values, we have lost sight of the Ananiases of this world. We measure success by cold statistics that often overlook factors like loving parents who sacrificed so their children could succeed or teachers who took extra time and effort to make the difference in one pupil’s life. Because of this we fail to realize the potential of our own small acts.
Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed. Likewise, the potential of your deeds of love and faith to others are beyond your comprehension. Don’t pass up an opportunity to bless someone else today. You could be ministering to the next apostle Paul.
