Today’s Verse

Acts 9:1

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. (NLT)

Ever stared at your laundry pile with a mix of dread and denial? 

The towering mountain of dirty, wrinkled, and forgotten garments. It feels overwhelming to tackle it, and procrastination sounds way better. The church can often resemble that. A big pile of hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We might be tempted to pretend it’s not there, but the truth is: we can’t expect messiness to ever go away because we deal with people. 

And Saul, was as messy as they come! 

Acts 8 introduces us to him—and it’s not pretty. “Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.” (Acts 8:3). He was a walking, talking, “pile” of spiritual laundry.

Then literally on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, Saul encounters the risen Jesus! A powerful reminder that God's transformative work often begins in the messiest of circumstances. Is there anyone in your life whose circumstances seem too messy? Someone you've written off as a lost cause? Maybe you feel like a worthless pile yourself?

As fascinating as Saul’s blinding encounter is, there are two unsung heroes in the story: Ananias and Barnabas.

Ananias (Acts 9:10-19), was called to minister to Saul—a man he was terrified of. Despite his doubts, Ananias risked his life, obeyed God's call, and got to witness Saul's transformation. God used him to help restore Saul’s sight, baptize him, and tell him of his special calling.

Then in Acts 9:26-30, Saul attempts to join the disciples in Jerusalem, but they were afraid of him. Barnabas, however, vouched for Saul and helped him connect with the church. Without this act of courage and compassion who knows what would’ve happened to Paul.

I love those two guys. God wants to use you to be an Ananias or a Barnabas. Maybe someone in your life is feeling too far gone. Perhaps it's time to extend a hand of grace, just as they did. Let's approach this week with humility, acknowledging our own messiness and trusting God to work through us. Together, we can transform piles into possibilities.

REFLECTION

Re-read Saul’s conversion story in Acts 9:1-31 today. Ask God to highlight specific people in your sphere of influence who you can minister to. Ask Him for courage and compassion to step out despite your doubts. How could you extend grace to them today?