Investigating the Bible: Courage to accept

By DAVID CARLSON PASTOR

In 1956, Black student Autherine Lucy attended her first class at the all-white University of Alabama. Soon riots erupted and violence escalated. Lucy locked herself in a classroom, praying for strength. The University expelled her, claiming it was for her own safety and campus peace. Dr. David Jeremiah reported that in 2019, Autherine returned to the University of Alabama for an honorary doctorate and shed tears. She said, “I wasn’t crying — tears were just rolling down my eyes because it’s just so different. …I see laughing faces instead of people frowning and displeased at me being here.” One man in the Bible had courage to accept a feared Jew.

Ananias was a common name in the days of the New Testament. One Ananias and his wife withheld money from the church, then lied about it to the Holy Spirit. They both instantly died at the feet of the apostle Peter. The apostle Paul was brought to trial before Ananias, the high priest. A third man named Ananias was a follower of Jesus and lived in Damascus, a town about 140 miles northeast of Jerusalem. He trusted God enough to welcome a despised enemy.

Young Pharisee Saul stood holding the garments of the men who stoned to death Stephen, a church deacon. Then he got formal letters to arrest any believers found in Damascus. On the way, the resurrected Jesus confronted Saul, blinding him for three days. “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision,… ‘Rise and go…and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying’…But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem’…But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.’” (Acts 9:10-15, English Standard Version used throughout).

Knowing he could be arrested, “…Ananias departed and entered the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came 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 he regained his sight.” (Acts 9:17-18). Then Saul immediately “…proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” (Acts 9:20).

Near the end of his ministry, apostle Paul (he had changed his name) remembered the actions of Ananias. Arrested by a mob, Paul proclaimed, “‘One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said to me, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.’” (Acts 22:12-15).

In his book about Ronald Reagan, Paul Kengor described the generous love and acceptance Reagan’s mother Nelle gave to everyone. Local prisoners were released into her custody and she’d let them sleep in the family’s sewing room until they found other lodging. A neighbor said, “She had faith God would protect her for doing the right thing.” Once, young Ronald brought home two visiting basketball players. They were African-American and couldn’t find anyone willing to give them lodging. “The two visitors stood hesitantly at the door, fearing their friendly host’s mom would change her mind when she saw their skin color. When Nelle saw the three of them, she smiled and said, ‘Come on in, boys.’”

David Carlson Pastor (yes, that is his last name, not his profession) is a Polk County resident and graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary in Minnesota (M.Div., M.Th.).