Thursday, February 21, 2013

Giving What You Have

Acts 3:1-10 is an account of Peter and John healing a man who had been crippled form birth. The healing in itself is a great thing. But, when I was reading it, I was struck by something different from it.

In verse 6, in response to the beggar's request for money, Peter says these words, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

Peter knew what he didn't have, but he also knew what he did have. And he gave what he had to give to this man.

This led to realization about my own life as a follower of Christ. God doesn't ask me to give what I don't have to give. He doesn't ask you to either.

This doesn't mean we won't be asked to give sacrificially. Or beyond what we, in our human strength, think we're able to give.

But, whatever we are asked to give, it will be what God knows we have to give. Even if we don't think we have it.

In this account in Acts 3, Peter and John didn't have money to give to the beggar. But they didn't let that stop them from giving him something. They gave him healing, because they knew they could give him that.

It started me thinking about how I respond in times when what I'm asked for is something I know I don't have to give. Do I back away thinking I have nothing to give? Or do I look for other things that I have to give that can help in the situation?

And about those situations where, in my humanity, I don't feel like I have the ability to give what God is asking me to give. Will I trust that if God is asking me to give it, it's because He knows that in Him I do have it to give?

What about you?

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