He was a man on a mission, and he was confident he was doing the right thing. With paperwork in hand, he was on his way to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem. His goal was to persecute Christians and put an end to the movement spreading around him.

Then everything changed.

A bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, and he fell to the ground. A voice interrupted his plans and confronted him with a question he never expected to hear. The confident leader was now trembling before the Lord.

Acts 9 tells us that this man, Saul, was blinded by the encounter and had to be led by the hand into Damascus. There, he waited and prayed, unable to see what would happen next.

Meanwhile, God was preparing someone else for an important assignment.

“In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying’” (Acts 9:10–11).

God then explained that Saul had seen a vision of a man named Ananias coming to place his hands on him and restore his sight.

I wonder what went through Ananias’s mind at that moment.

“Wait a minute, Lord. You want me to go to Saul? This is the man who has been persecuting Christians. He has caused so much suffering for people who follow You. And You want me to walk right up to him?”

We can hardly blame Ananias for having those thoughts. Saul had a terrible track record. He had approved of Stephen’s execution, dragged believers from their homes, and sent Christians to prison. Approaching him would have required tremendous faith and courage.

But God had a plan for Saul’s life, and Ananias was about to play an important part in it.

The Lord reassured Ananias:

“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel’” (Acts 9:15).

Ananias obeyed. He went to the house, placed his hands on Saul, and spoke to him as a brother in Christ. Saul’s sight was restored, and he was baptized.

This was the beginning of a remarkable transformation. The man who had devoted himself to persecuting Christians became one of the greatest messengers of the gospel. His passion was redirected, and his life was devoted to telling others about Jesus.

Paul would go on to travel, preach, write letters that became part of the New Testament, and influence countless lives for generations to come.

But before Paul could carry the message of Jesus to the world, Ananias had to be willing to take a step of faith.

Paul would touch the world, but first, Ananias had to be willing to reach out and touch Paul.

What would have happened if Ananias had refused to go? God could certainly have accomplished his purposes another way, but Ananias would have missed the opportunity to be part of what God was doing.

You and I may have a “Paul” in our lives today. We may encounter people whose futures we cannot begin to imagine. They may be difficult to approach, rough around the edges, or struggling through circumstances that make us hesitant to get involved.

Yet, God may use a simple act of kindness, an opportunity, or a conversation to help change the direction of someone’s life.

• Befriend the coworker who is a little rough around the edges.
• Make an effort to talk to the neighbor who seems standoffish.
• Give someone an opportunity to prove themselves, even when their circumstances make you hesitant.
• Extend grace to someone who needs a second chance.
• Allow your faith to make a difference in the life of someone who may one day make a difference in the lives of many others.

We don’t always know what God is doing in someone else’s life. We can’t see their potential or know how He might use them in the future. But we can choose to be faithful with the opportunities He places before us today.

The person you encourage today may be the person God uses to encourage thousands tomorrow.

Don’t underestimate the power of a simple act of obedience. You may never know how far its impact will reach.

Thanks for reading.