I love this scripture, it's such an amazing example of God's power, not only in the healing, but in the apostles too. Peter had not long before this denied Jesus thrice, yet here he is healing in His name and overflowing with the Spirit. There is just so much to get from this scripture on so many levels, but today I'd like to write for a little while about what we give to others.

Whether they're friends, relatives or strangers, saved or unsaved, people should be leaving encounters with us having received from God. Now, I'm not suggesting that we're all going to trot down to Starbucks tomorrow and heal some folks with just our shadow on the way past – although, if this happens, that's going to make quite the praise report! But everyday we have so many interactions with people, and this situation just started with an everyday interaction, Peter and John could have walked by, or, they could have had a coin to give, but they didn't, they had something far better. An everyday interaction, apostles walking past someone who was a regular fixture begging at the gates, and yet God's Spirit is with them and that everyday interaction is turned into a God Action.

What powerful words, “Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you.” We're not saved to sit piously in church on Sunday and then go away and live lives that leave the people in our worlds with no idea that we're Christians, we're called to live lives that count for the kingdom, we're commissioned to be the difference in our worlds. Peter and John here are being that difference by being open and ready for God to use them, looking for opportunities. We should be the same, reaching out to people with the love of Jesus.

The first thing Peter does is recognise that what the person is looking for is not what they're going to get, and that he is going to give of the most valuable, most amazing thing he has. There are many ways we can show the love of Jesus, but the important thing is that it's the love of Jesus, we need to impart to people some of what we have, people should know that we're different, that we have within us the life of Christ. The most amazing, most worthwhile gifts that we can give to anyone are those that come from Jesus.

We should pray that God will open our eyes, so that we don't walk on by, so that when opportunity arises to give of Him we're alert and open to do so. Then we need to remember our prayers, and expect that opportunities will arise, God wants our lives to be proactive for Him, He wants to see us giving, sharing of what He has given us. Giving of ourselves is one thing, but what really makes the difference is giving of Him. That gift resides in us, lets look for opportunities to share it.

Until next time,

Pete…