The Gift

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;  who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, ‘Look at us.’ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’” (Acts 3:1-6).

Peter and John, upon entering the temple, saw a man panhandling at the gate. Peter stopped and “stared” at him. The man, trodden down, unable to meet Peter’s gaze, looked away. “Look at us,” Peter said. “So the [man] gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them."

The man expected money, of course, but Peter, who didn’t have two drachma to rub together, gave him something far better: Speaking in Jesus’ name he gave him a new lease on life. 

The streets are full of poverty-stricken people—begging. Some are poor in dollars and cents; others in faith, hope and love. But I don’t always see them.

More’s the pity, for I have a gift to give that keeps on giving: New life in Jesus’ name.

David Roper

7.17.20