A couple of nights ago I shared some thoughts about Ananias from Acts 9 (the one who met with Saul/Paul, not the one who dropped dead). As I’ve continued to think about him and his story, there’s just a couple of new thoughts I want to share.
Ananias went for it, and because he did he left an impression. He made a mark. He took a chance and did something that still has implications today. That’s what leaders do, not for their own glory or credit necessarily, but because it’s the right thing to do. And because a leader is wired differently. They don’t wait for things to happen. They help make them happen.
Ananias saw the big picture, with a little help from Jesus. Paul would lead a breakthrough for Christianity around the globe. Ananias understood that his part was not to lead that change but to set the ball up so that Paul could get it rolling. If Ananias didn’t see how his part might connect to something bigger he might not have been able to convince himself to risk everything to go see Paul.
The other thing that I’m reminded of here is that leaders take chances when they believe in something. If he didn’t go and meet Paul, it’s hard to say how that would have affected the rest of Paul’s story, but it’s easy to know what it would have meant for Ananias – we wouldn’t have any idea who he is. Some people would have waited for Paul to knock on THEIR door before recognizing it as an opportunity. Ananias recognized that a leader doesn’t wait for timing to be right or the circumstances to the most convenient. He went for it. He took a chance. If you think about anything truly great you’ve ever done, I’m guessing it took some risk, some action, and some initiative on your part. The opportunity for great accomplishments rarely drops in our laps while we’re watching a CHiPs marathon on a Saturday afternoon.
What opportunities are waiting for you to take the lead on?
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