Giving what you Have

There is no doubt that there are many needy people around us. Sometimes people are needy because of bad decisions. Sometimes people are needy because of addictions that control them. Sometimes people are needy because of the social economics of their family - it is a generation after generation thing. Sometimes people are needy because the circumstances of life (medical emergencies, the health of a loved one, personal health issues) has caused them to be unable to work.

Are calling from the Lord is not to determine the reason that people are needy but to help those who are needy. It is interesting to me that following the formation of the church in Acts 2, one of the first opportunities for the church to be the church is meeting the need(s) of a person. Acts 3:1-10 states that their was a man in need. In fact, this man had been crippled since birth. He begged for alms (handouts) from people that were entering the temple complex. When he approached Peter and John for alms they responded: "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have, I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!" (verse 6).

This man had perhaps had long given up on ever walking and had settled into the routine of simply asking for help (alms). After all, this was his biggest need. Or was it? Was alms his biggest need in life? Surely he needed food which these alms could purchase. But was this his biggest need?

Peter and John waste no time pointing out this man's greatest need. He needed JESUS. He needed Jesus' power to be at work in his life. When Jesus' power is at work in a person's life there is healing both physically and spiritually. This man once healed physically began "walking, leaping, and praising God" (verse 8).

We indeed need to meet the physical needs of those around us. Often meeting the physical needs of a person open the door will open the door for sharing spiritual things with them. However, we cannot simply take care of the physical needs without never sharing spiritual things with them. As we follow Jesus, we must give them what we have - JESUS!

Praying today for:
(1) Lake O' the Pines community of Ally Creek
(2) State of Arkansas
(3) Nation of French Polynesia
(4) East Asian Peoples throughout the World