Scripture Daily

Context No. 1515 of 4322 · Acts

Context · Reflection

Acts 3:1-11: in context

1Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2A certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple. 3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy. 4Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.” 5He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 7He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. 8Leaping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God. 9All the people saw him walking and praising God. 10They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

Peter and John are going up to the temple at the hour of prayer when a man lame from birth, carried daily to the temple gate called Beautiful to beg, asks them for money. Peter fixes his eyes on him and says, look at us. The man looks, expecting a coin. But Peter says: silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk. He takes him by the hand and raises him, and at once the man's feet and ankles are made strong; he leaps up and walks and enters the temple, walking and leaping and praising God, to the amazement of all who saw him.

The line to hold is Peter's: silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. The man had asked for money, and Peter had none to give; but rather than turn away because he lacked what was asked, Peter gave what he did have, which turned out to be far greater than the coins the man wanted. The beggar asked for a little silver to get through another day; he received his legs, and a life transformed. There are two things in that worth taking. The first is that God often gives not the small thing we ask for but a greater thing we did not think to ask. The man wanted enough to survive another day of begging; God gave him the ability to walk, ending his begging altogether. We ask God for small relief in our troubles, and sometimes he gives instead something far larger than we imagined. The second is Peter's willingness to give what he had rather than lament what he lacked. He did not have silver and gold; he had the name of Jesus, and he gave that. We are often tempted to give nothing because we lack what seems to be needed, the money, the eloquence, the resources someone else has; Peter gives what he does have, and it is enough. What I have I give you: it is the posture of one who does not withhold the little he possesses because he lacks the much he does not. Give what you have; it may prove to be more than what was asked.

Do I withhold what I have to give because I lack what seems to be needed, or can I, like Peter, give what I do have, trusting it may prove greater than what was asked, and can I trust God to give me not always the small thing I request but sometimes a greater thing I did not think to ask?

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