In Acts 9:13–17 the church receives the call to receive Saul as a brother. We know that Ananias was very reluctant to go and speak with Saul. Public enemy number one; you do not want to give him any kind of reason to throw you in jail. We can understand his hesitation. But the Lord has called him and added him to his church. Once he was your enemy, now he is your brother.
Welcoming Saul into the church community was not easy. When he goes to Jerusalem the Christians are scared of him. They remember the things he has done, the people he has thrown into prison. They are worried that he is some kind of spy. Even so, his conversion was real. It was confirmed to Ananias in his vision. It was confirmed by his actions from that day onwards, the suffering he faced for the sake of Christ. The persecutor has become a brother.
Practically, we do not face the same challenge as those who lived in the early church. We are not worried that Saul is setting a trap to catch us. Still, we are also called to welcome new believers as brothers and sisters after they have professed and shown with their Christian walk that they truly believe in Jesus Christ, whatever their background and history.
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.