Sharing the Love of the Father to Others

Acts 3:1-10

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.  ² Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%203:%201%20-%2010&version=NIV1984)

Have you ever encountered a person who is homeless or even a person with a disability who could not walk?  Maybe you have seen someone in a wheelchair, how often do you look them straight in the eye?  It is difficult for both parties to look one another in the eye.  For someone in a wheelchair they have to look up and for someone walking they have to look down so both tend to just keep going without greeting one another.  Now let’s look at Peter and John, they not only both looked him in the eye, they insisted that he look them in the eye as well. 

Often times when we meet a person that is homeless and they ask for money, we have a tendency to either place money in their cup or just ignore them.  I, sadly to say, have a tendency to shy away, especially if I have no cash on me to give them (which is usually the case).  I feel bad for them, wonder how they got there, and probably even pass judgment on some of them which I should never do.  Yet, Peter and John stopped and looked him in the eye.  They did not give him money but they gave him a means to get his own money.  They give him the ability to walk.  They also made it clear that it was through the name of Jesus that he was healed.

Okay, let’s put that into perspective for today.  What can we give someone who is homeless or disabled?  There is one healing that can only come through Jesus Christ and that is the healing of their broken lives, the cleansing of their sin.  They have not sinned any more than you and I and they may need salvation.  We could look them in the eye and tell them of the love of Jesus but are they really going to feel that love in the circumstances?  We can give them all the money that we have but how will that help them in their spiritual life?  We could give them our attention, we could show them that we see them as human beings not as misfits or an unwanted burdens.  Maybe we could give them jobs, pay for rehabilitation, or simply stop and look them in the eye and ask them to look us in the eye.  We could then ask them to tell us their story.  We could pray with them.  Healing comes in many forms and we need to be open to how we are to heal in Jesus name.  We need to remember that there are many ways to help those in need, sometimes it is with money and sometimes it is with giving them our attention.  Notice this man, once healed, praised God, he gave glory to God not to man.  That is what we should want to accomplish when we encounter those in need.  We want them to see the love of Jesus through us.

As you seek Him today, ask Him to reveal to you how you are to help those who are unwanted, unloved, and seem to be misplaced in this world.  He loves them just as much as He loves you.  How can we show that love to them?

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila