***
Did he just hear his name?
Saul straightened. Yes, he did. The pastor was talking about a Biblical character that shared his name.
“Saul was zealous, but stubborn and set in his ways. When he made up his mind, nobody could make him budge.” Pastor Charleston said. The congregation chuckled.
He felt a pinch on his arm and turned to his daughter. “He sounds like someone I know,” she teased.
Saul gave her a slanted look, but didn’t respond.
“Saul was on his way to Damascus road when something unexpected happened. He had a personal encounter with Jesus, which left him blind. Sometimes God is trying to reach us and steer us on the right path, but we refuse to heed. Saints, sometimes God has to blind us because we refuse to see.”
“He’s blind. Did you hear that?” Cassandra whispered.
He nodded. His heart pounded. He couldn’t ignore the similarities. He and Saul shared a name. They’d both lost their sight. It was eerie, uncanny, and couldn’t be mere coincidence.
Pastor Charleston continued, “Imagine losing your sight and having to rely on someone to lead and guide you. Can you imagine that scary feeling? You were once living and loving the light, but now all you see is nothing. You’re surrounded by darkness and you don’t know which way to turn.”
Yes! Yes! He knew that feeling. He lived it. Experienced it everyday. Saul hunched over. He inhaled deeply. Breathe easy. Breathe easy. He exhaled. He felt Cassandra’s hand on his arm and cupped her hand.
“Goodness. How does he know?” he asked, tortured. The morning he woke up realizing he saw nothing came back to him with full force. He’d been terrified. Alone. Ugh! He clenched his stomach. Remembering.
“Why did this happen to me? Saul wondered. He’d been stopped cold in his tracks. He had his own plan and he was all right with it. He could continue that way forever. But, God had a different plan for his life. He knew Saul was more than what he portrayed, but Saul had to see himself. There is a moment in a man’s life when he has to see the wicked, awful being that he is.” Pastor Charleston’s words pierced him without mercy.
Others in the crowd started calling out, “Have mercy, Lord.”
Yes, he’d been all right with disowning his daughter and rejecting his son-in-law and grandchild. Oh, how could he have done that? He covered his mouth, convulsing as tears fell. He was seeing himself clearly, and he didn’t like how he looked. He swiped at the tears.
“Do you need to leave?” Cassandra’s tone sounded worried.
He patted her on her leg and shook his head. “I can’t leave. I’m all right.”
Someone sat next to him and took his hand. Saul was pulled into a hug by a woman with ample-sized breasts. He smelled cocoa butter.
“That’s it, let God talk to you,” the woman said.
Saul nodded as he rocked back and forth. He was feeling the heat of God’s spotlight.
“For three days, he stayed in this state, tortured and lost. But, God had a plan! God had a plan of respite. He had also made provision for Saul’s deliverance by preparing a prophet. A man called Ananias.”
Ananias. Annie Hays, or as he heard today, Aniyah Hays. Oh. My. Lord. Saul heard a harsh intake of breath. Cassandra hadn’t missed the similarities between the names, either. Goose bumps rose.
“God commanded Ananias to pray for Saul and when he did, Saul’s sight was restored. From that day until his death, Saul walked with God. Today, I urge you to walk with God. Come out of your seat. Come meet God at the altar.”
He heard the music begin and the words, “All to Jesus, I surrender…” Saul sprang to his feet. Cassandra took his arm. It was time.
He was going to meet God.
With each step, Saul’s confidence grew. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life—besides, Annie. He felt her presence next to him and welcomed her comforting touch.
Saul poured out his heart and accepted the beauty of God’s forgiveness.
He opened his eyes. “Ugh! Arrgh!!” Saul screamed and rubbed his eyes. The brightness was too much and he covered them unsure of how to cope. He flailed through the crowd like a madman. Then he heard her voice. Annie. She was talking to him.
“Saul, it’s okay. Accept it,” she said. “Accept your miracle. Give your eyes a chance to adjust. Baby, you’re healed!”
Saul calmed. He focused his eyes until he saw her. Beautiful Annie, standing there with tears streaming down her face. She held her hands out towards him. Saul raced towards her. “I can see! I can see!”
She nodded, “You can!”
The crowd went wild rejoicing and praising God, but Saul didn’t care. His eyes were centered on the woman in front of him. He could barely believe what he was seeing. She was gorgeous. Movie star gorgeous. How’d he luck out like this! Hysterical, he laughed and clapped his hands with glee.
Annie’s face shone as she laughed with him. But concern surfaced at his uncontrolled emotions. “Saul, honey… Are you okay?”
He gazed into her face and exclaimed, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen! You didn’t tell me you looked like this!”
All through the benediction, Saul rejoiced. “Isn’t she stunning?” he would tap someone to say. “She’s going to marry me!” he told someone else as he pointed towards her. Oh! That reminded him. Saul dug into his pockets and withdrew a small ring box. He skittered over to Annie and took her hand.
A beautiful red glow splashed across her cheeks. How intriguing. He needed to make her blush more often. With a booming voice, he asked, “Aniyah Hays, I know I was wrong about a lot of things, but I’m right about how I feel about you. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?” He didn’t wait for an answer before shoving the solitaire on her finger.
“You already know the answer,” Annie smiled through teary eyes.
Saul dragged her outside the church and behind the parking lot. The sun burned his eyes but he was a man on a mission. What he intended to do wasn’t suitable for inside God’s house.
“I feel like a princess!” Annie said. “I’m entering my happy-ever-after.”
“Yes, you are, and there’s only one way to end this fairytale,” Saul agreed, as he gave his woman the kiss of true love.
Reader Guide Questions
1. Do you think it is possible for a person to decide whom to love based on preferences, or does the heart decide? Why or why not?
2. Was Saul prejudiced or just misguided?
3. How are the characters and events outlined in the story similar to the life of Saul and Ananias?
4. Do you think Annie should have ran away when she learned about Saul’s position on interracial dating? Why or why not? If you were in her shoes, what do you think you would do?
5. When Annie sees Macy and Saul kissing, she decides against confronting him. Did you agree with her decision? Why or why not?
6. How do you feel about interracial dating? Have you or would you date outside your race? What are your biggest challenges, if any? Share your thoughts, opinions and experiences.
7. There are people who state, “I don’t look at color.” Is it the notion of being “Color Blind” a possibility, or is it an ideal?
About the Author
Michelle Lindo-Rice enjoys crafting women's fiction with themes centered around the four "F" words: Faith, Friendship, Family and Forgiveness. Her first published work, Sing A New Song, was a Black Expressions featured selection. Originally from Jamaica West Indies, Michelle Lindo-Rice calls herself a lifelong learner.
She has earned degrees from New York University, SUNY at Stony Brook, and Teachers College, Columbia University. When she moved to Florida, she enrolled in Argosy University where she completed her Education Specialist degree in Education Leadership. A pastor's kid, Michelle upholds the faith, preaching, teaching and ministering through praise and worship.
You can connect with Michelle online at Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter @ml
indorice, or PLEASE join her mailing list at www.michellelindorice.com
Her blog: http://www.michellelindorice.blogspot.com
Read some of her other works:
Sing A New Song
Walk A Straight Line
My Steps Are Ordered
Color Blind Page 10