Photo by Luis Georg Müller on Unsplash
This post was originally published on 4/11/17 and updated on 3/02/2026
The book of Acts is an action-packed story of the early Church. In it we read about the boldness of those who had been impacted by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One of the things I have always enjoyed in Acts is the account of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. He was hell bent on destroying the church until he had an encounter with Jesus, which in turn changed the direction of his life.
An aspect of Pauls story that stands out to me, is the people that God used to help him, and it’s a lesson for us today about the need to be available when God wants us to come along side others.
Two people come to mind. Ananias was the reluctant (And fair enough!) Jesus follower that God used to restore Paul’s sight after his experience with Jesus, and Barnabas was a guy who went out of his way to advocate for Paul when he turned up to Jerusalem wanting to join the other disciples. You can read about this in Acts 9:27 and Acts 9:15.
What I love about these two guys, is that they listened to God and got involved in Paul’s story, which meant that he was able to find his place in the body of Christ and make a significant contribution to the church and our Bible as we read it today.
As I think about my own faith walk over the years, I am reminded of all the great people God sent into the different seasons of my life. Those that helped guide me when I was first introduced to Jesus, and others who took the time to introduce me to a whole range of people who would go on to shape who I am today. Who knows where I would be today if those people had decided that they did not have the time or couldn’t be bothered.
What about you, take a moment and think about the people that God has brought to your side to help and encourage you. Those who helped you understand what it means to follow Christ and made you feel welcomed and walked with you for a while. Am I right in saying that their presence, words, and actions spurred you on in your faith?
There is no shortage of people in our church circles today who are either new in the faith or looking for ways to connect, but like Paul, they need help. So, will you join me in making ourselves available like Ananias and Barnabas did, because who knows how much our willingness to be used by God will change the direction of another person’s life.
Father God, thank you for the life of Ananias, Barnabas and Paul and for all the people you have sent into our lives. I pray that we would keep our eyes and hearts opened to the people around us so that we would be ready to be used by you to encourage them. In Jesus name, amen.
Please leave a comment and let me know of any Ananias or Barnabas experiences you have had.
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