“Just Give What You Have”


BIBLE READING: Acts 3                

                He sat there every day watching everyone enjoy their lives, thinking of all the endless possibilities that were at their fingertips.  He probably imagined what it would be like to be like them, able to go about their days without a care in the world; being able to do whatever their little hearts desired.  We can only imagine what it must have been like for him, having to be carried everywhere he went;  at the mercy of anyone who would be willing to offer him just a little bit of help, just a little bit on money to ensure that his somewhat pointless existence would continue.  You see, he never knew what it was like to walk around the market place, or to run up the steps of the Temple to go to worship.  In fact, he would never be able to experience what it felt like to simply stand on his own two feet.  He was lame and had been since birth.  His parents never got to experience the excitement of watching him take his first steps.  It seems very possible that he considers himself a burden to the world, living off the sympathetic gold or silver coin that some would toss into his basket.  We are not told how many days, weeks or months he had been placed there at the Gate called Beautiful.  However, we are told what extraordinary thing happened on this day.  Today begins just like any other day; repeating the scripted plea he had been repeating for so may years “Alms, alms to feed the poor beggar… Please no amount is to small…Please…Please…have mercy on me and help me!”  It just so happens that today, he asked the right person:
“Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's.” (Acts 3:3-11)
We all encounter people like this lame beggar in our lives, asking for money, for help, for food.  It is very easy to get burdened down with their constant asking.  Our minds begin to wonder what types of bad choices they must have made that placed them in their current situation.  We begin to rationalize that if we give them money or food, we have in some way enabled them to be content with their current situation.  We feel for a moment a sense of sympathy, yet that feeling is quickly overtaken by a sense of awkwardness and uncomfortableness.  “What do they really expect me do? I don’t have money to just throw around.  If they really want to change, why don’t they just get a job?”, are all thoughts we may have expressed.    So, to ease our conscience we offer some small token of a donation.  Did it every occur to you that maybe God placed this person in your path for something other than money?  Maybe God placed this person in your life because the one thing they really need isn’t something that can be helped with money?  Maybe they are looking for something that can offer them a way out of their situation, a hope for a better life?  Maybe what they are really looking for is a life that is filled with purpose, satisfaction, and fulfillment?  Maybe they need the one thing that you have that can alter, not just their life, but their eternity?  May God placed them in you path so that you could introduce them to …JESUS!    The next time God places someone in your path like this lame man, before you open your wallet or your purse…try opening your heart and share Christ.  That really is the only thing they need.


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