4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” -Acts 3:4-6
It’s amazing to me how many people want help in their lives, but when you go to help them, they say, “I want you to help, but you’re not going to like…uh… bring God into this are you?”
I love this story in Acts about a lame man on the street. He was constantly in need of help. Everyday he would sit outside the temple begging. He sees Peter and John and expects them to help. He expected them to give him money. Instead, Peter says listen, I’m going to give you the only thing I have that can actually help you. What was it? Jesus.
Giving this man money wouldn’t have helped him at all. He would have used it and been back at the temple begging for money again the very next day. Peter and John refused to give him something that would, in the end, leave him the same. Instead, they gave Him Jesus, and the man was healed and his life was never the same again.
The only thing we can give others in need that will actually help them is God.
In most cases, I’ve found that most people that don’t want you to bring God into the equation, don’t really want to change their lives. They want their circumstances to change while they continue to live the lifestyle they are living which is impossible.
The greatest thing we can do for anyone is point them to an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Do that, and their lives will never be the same.
