Meeting needs

What do you do when you pass a beggar on the street? Suppose he was on the steps leading to your church, the place where you go to worship, what then?

We've all seen him, perhaps with a sign that says "will work for food". What do we do with him?

We might cross the street to avoid him, perhaps we can enter church by another door, avoid eye contact at all costs, or maybe you have a diferent answer.

Acts 3:1-10 relates a similar story.

Peter and John were approaching the Temple to pray. It was the usual time, about 3 in the afternoon. Suddenly Peter sees this lame man at the gate and he stops to observe the man. The lame man notices that someone had stopped and hopeful of a gift, he extends his hand with a rusty old cup. Peter and John have no money but Peter addresses the man, "Look at us" he says. "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I will give you, Stand up and walk".

The lame man looked at Peter with amazement. He had never stood or walked, he had been lame from birth. How would he do what this man was commanding him to do? Suddenly Peter extended his right hand and grasping the lame man's hand, he helped him to his feet. The story tells us that as he was standing up, the bones in his feet and ankles were strengthened and he was healed. The man indeed stood, and he waked and even leapt for joy. He was able for the first time to enter the Temple and worship.

Peter and John had walked this way before many times. Had they seen this lame man those other times? I think they had and had found an excuse to ignore him. This time however, something clicked and they realized that they could meet his need, not just the physical need of the moment, but spiritual as well.

The lesson for us is that God wants us to be involved in meeting the needs of others. We do not have the option of just passing by and ignoring them. God is reaching down to pull them up, our role is to bring them together. We do that by being concious of the needs around us and doing our best to meet them. The resources that God gives us are not for us, but are to enable us to help others.