The unexpected

Acts 9:10-19New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Here's the thing about this story.  With everything else we know about Paul, we often forget that Paul is the one that stood by and held everyone's coats while Stephen was stoned to death.  Paul was a persecutor of the church and was on his way to Damascus breathing "threats and murder" against the disciples and was going to bring them bound - as prisoners - to Jerusalem.

So what God is asking Ananias is tantamount to asking a good church-going sort to go to a Taliban leader and bring them into the fold.

Over and over again God chooses people who are the exact opposite of who we would expect God to choose.  And God uses those people to bring about God's kin-dom.

Who are the people in your life you'd least expect to serve God? Take a second look at them, because there's a good change God has a purpose for them that is beyond the scope yet of your understanding.

In Paris, the people we might least expect to serve God's purposes would be a secular, anti-religious newspaper.  Two gunman certainly thought so, and by thinking so, committed a terrible act of violence against them.

Yet since the shooting in Paris, voice after voice of solidarity and support have risen out of the dust. Kinship - always God's aim for God's people - has sprung up as religious and secular voices everywhere speak against the tragedy.

We can never know how God's kin-dom will unfold.  We can never know who it is that God has chosen for purposes beyond our understanding.

If someone like Saul/Paul can be chosen, who might be next?

God of all people, help me never to discount any of your servants.  Open my eyes and heart to your work even in the most unexpected places.  Amen.