Do you remember Ananias in the early church? When Saul, later to be Paul, had his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and was blinded, Ananias had a vision. The Lord told him to go to the house of Judas and lay his hands on Saul of Tarsus and he would receive his sight. This must have filled Ananias with dread. He would have heard the gossip about Saul – he informed on and persecuted Christians for of the Romans. He was asked to do a life-threatening mission.
Nevertheless, he did as the Lord asked and within the hour, Saul could see again.
So, who was this Ananias? Legend has it that he was a shoemaker and that he continued with his life unaware of the transformation in the life of Saul and never knowing that the newly named Paul went on to take the good news of Jesus’ salvation throughout the known world and changed history through his writings.
It is said that, on his deathbed, Ananias looked upwards and whispered,” I haven’t done much Lord: a few shoes sewn, a few sandals stitched. But what more could be expected of a poor cobbler?”
The Lord spoke to Ananias’ heart,” Don’t worry Ananias about how much or how little you have done. You were there in the hour that I needed you, and that is all that matters.”
Just being in the right place at the right time, maybe just for an hour, and being willing to do what God asks, could give us the opportunity to change history.
We may never know the results when we say ‘Yes’ to God.
Matthew 19:26 “With God all things are possible”