God said what?! A lesson from Ananias

Most people are familiar with the story of Saul on the way to Damascus, where he falls to the ground and Jesus speaks to him. It is such a shocking image that it’s easy to forget about what happens immediately afterwards in chapter 9 of the Acts of the Apostles.

A man named Ananias has a vision where God tells him to go to Saul and heal him. Ananias was well aware of Saul’s reputation, but he didn’t tell God, “Surely you can’t be asking me this? This man is a murderer!” I mean, that’s probably what I would have done, if I’m honest.

Ananias just did what God asked of him, even though it sounded crazy. And as soon as Ananias laid hands on Saul, he was able to see again, got up and was baptized. You probably know the rest of the story about how Saul, now known as Paul, proceeded to preach the Good News to many places, even at the risk of imprisonment and martyrdom. He wrote much of the New Testament, and many saints owe much of their spiritual prowess to St. Paul.

And it all started with Ananias doing the crazy thing that God asked him to do.

It really makes me wonder what opportunities God will present to all of us if we are attentive enough to listen and courageous enough to follow through. I’ve been trying to listen to those promptings, which can be hard. Because let’s be real, I’m not hearing God’s voice like Ananias did. It’s more like a sudden idea that comes to mind, like texting a friend to check on them, or to drop off a care package for a family dealing with a stomach virus. It is very easy to just ignore those thoughts.

But what if we considered the effect that those small acts could have long term? Maybe my friend was crying and pleading to God at that exact moment, asking for help…and then she received my text message. Or maybe that family with the stomach virus was at their wits end and to know someone was thinking about them brought much-needed comfort.

There was one time, almost a year ago, that I was on my way home from a friend’s house and suddenly felt inspired to stop at the Catholic Church I was passing (there is a lockbox for people to use after hours). It was late, so I hesitated, especially because I knew my husband was waiting for me at home. 

But somehow, by the grace of God, I listened and stopped to pray at church for a bit. Lo and behold, one of my dear friends came in not long after. This friend, come to find out later, had the roughest day and could not believe that I was in church at the same time. My presence was a gift to my friend, who really needed a friend at that time, and it’s a moment that we are both thankful to this day. And it wouldn’t have happened had I ignored the nudge to stop and pray at church.

So let the story of Ananias, as well as my experience, be a lesson to us all. If God seems to be asking you to do something weird, or maybe even a little crazy, take courage. It may be the start of something big. And if not, maybe it will just be exactly what someone needs at any given moment.