Acts 3
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man ame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 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!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 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.
I read this passage this morning and it immediately struck me: sometimes you meet people (like the beggar) who ask things of you that you don't have (like money), but you do have something they need...
Have you ever encountered a cashier asking for donations for some charity? What about the man at the street corner with the cardboard sign? Or how about that couple that you know is struggling in more ways than just financially and you just don't know what to say to them so you try avoiding conversation completely?
Everyday we meet people who have problems that we can do nothing about. It's not just about finances, either. Your $5 isn't going to save all of the children with cancer or get the homeless man back on his feet, or stop the fighting in a married couples' lives over the financial struggles they've been having. And I'm not saying not to help out when you can - not at all. But you can't solve all the hurt, pain, sickness, and fighting going on in the world...
or can you?
I've realized that as Christians, what you DO have can solve all of their problems and then some they didn't even know they had. What you DO have is Jesus.
Peter looked at that beggar and knew he didn't have the money he needed to support him or even enough to buy his next meal. But what He did have was Jesus and by sharing that with the man, Jesus healed him, which solved the problem of why he was poor (because he could not work). Jesus gave the man his ability to walk again. Jesus came in and restored his life. But all because Peter heard him crying out and instead of looking away and avoiding him because he didn't have any money to give, Peter stopped to share Jesus with him.
Think for a moment... who are the people in your life who are crying out for help? Who are the people you encounter every day and occasionally try to avoid because you think you don't have what they're asking for? I challenge you to pray and ask God to open your eyes and heart to those people today so that you can stop and share Jesus with them today.
Nothing is impossible for God. Whether it's a sickness, financial problems, marital problem, etc, God can solve it with one healing touch. We need to be sensitive to His leading and to the opportunities that are in front of us daily and the way we have that sensitivity is through constant communication with God through prayer and His Word.
Find the problem you can't solve and share Jesus. You may be sharing the one thing someone needs most and didn't even know to ask for. It sounds so simple, but you could be saving their life.
