Tuesday: One Saw Iniquity; the Other an Instrument
WEEK 27
TUESDAY
ONE SAW INIQUITY; THE OTHER AN INSTRUMENT
Acts 9:10-16
This all-out affirmation that the followers of Jesus found in him put a terrific drive in the Christian movement. It invaded the whole of life with its mighty affirmations. In doing so it cleansed away the hopeless, the negative, the loss of nerve, the morally and mentally collapsed, and brought a new affirmation into human living. Anything and anybody could be redeemed—and was!
Note this: “Ananias countered, ‘Lord, I have heard many reports about this man. People say he has done horrible things.’ . . . The Lord replied, ‘Go! This man is the agent I have chosen.’” (Acts 9:13-15).
Note “he has done horrible things. . . . This man is the agent I have chosen.” One saw an iniquity; the Other saw an instrument! And the positive prevailed—and how! It prevailed over the doubts and fears of Ananias, and he turned to the powerfully positive. “Brother Saul”—his would-be murderer—was a brother, for his positive love turned the enemy into a friend—and more—into a brother. The stricken Saul must have shaken with sobs as he cried, “My God, they’re calling me brother! I, who have come down to murder them; they’ve made me a brother.” Then and there Saul was converted, I believe. He was stunned and blinded on the Damascus road, but not converted. Here he saw through human forgiveness the divine forgiveness and entered the gates of Eternal Life.
The yes in Jesus caught on in the soul of Ananias, and he became a yes in his attitudes toward Saul. He went beyond his original commission regarding Saul, for his commission was, “he has seen a man named Ananias enter and put his hands on him to restore his sight” (Acts 9:12). But Ananias went beyond that, and said: “The Lord Jesus . . . has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (9:17 RSV). Ananias added on his own: “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” He affirmed for a murderer the highest that humanity can receive: “be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
O Jesus, Redeemer, you are the positively redeeming, for you redeem us from all pessimism and all collapse and give us the highest. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: When I follow his affirmations, I shall go beyond them; for he inspires the More.