Eyes Wide Open
Acts 3:4-6 (NIV)
“But when Peter and John saw him, they looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, ‘Look at us!’ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’”
In Acts 3, Peter and John encounter a man who has been crippled from birth. Every day, he sat at the temple gate, hoping to receive something to survive. But on this particular day, Peter and John didn’t offer him silver or gold—they offered him something far greater: the healing power of Jesus Christ. They didn’t just walk past him, as so many others may have. They stopped, looked him in the eyes, and offered him what he truly needed.
This passage is a powerful reminder that we, too, need to keep our eyes open for the hurting around us. Often, we’re so focused on our own schedules, on getting what we need out of a church service, that we miss opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who need us. Peter and John were on their way to pray, yet they took time to minister to this man. They didn’t just see his need; they recognized it and responded with action.
How often do we walk by the hurting in our lives, whether in our church, our neighborhoods, or even our workplaces? Are we so absorbed in our own struggles that we miss the opportunity to make a real difference? The church is not just for the spiritually healthy—it’s a place where we should be constantly on the lookout for those who need healing, both physical and spiritual.
Like Peter and John, we may not have what the world offers, but we do have the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, and His power to transform lives. Let’s keep our eyes open for the hurting and offer them the one thing that can truly make a difference: the love and healing of Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord, open my eyes to the needs of those around me. Help me to be sensitive to the hurting and broken, especially in my church community. Let me never be too busy to stop and offer what I have—the love and healing power of Jesus. Give me the courage to be Your hands and feet, to see and respond to the needs around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
“But when Peter and John saw him, they looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, ‘Look at us!’ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’”
In Acts 3, Peter and John encounter a man who has been crippled from birth. Every day, he sat at the temple gate, hoping to receive something to survive. But on this particular day, Peter and John didn’t offer him silver or gold—they offered him something far greater: the healing power of Jesus Christ. They didn’t just walk past him, as so many others may have. They stopped, looked him in the eyes, and offered him what he truly needed.
This passage is a powerful reminder that we, too, need to keep our eyes open for the hurting around us. Often, we’re so focused on our own schedules, on getting what we need out of a church service, that we miss opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who need us. Peter and John were on their way to pray, yet they took time to minister to this man. They didn’t just see his need; they recognized it and responded with action.
How often do we walk by the hurting in our lives, whether in our church, our neighborhoods, or even our workplaces? Are we so absorbed in our own struggles that we miss the opportunity to make a real difference? The church is not just for the spiritually healthy—it’s a place where we should be constantly on the lookout for those who need healing, both physical and spiritual.
Like Peter and John, we may not have what the world offers, but we do have the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, and His power to transform lives. Let’s keep our eyes open for the hurting and offer them the one thing that can truly make a difference: the love and healing of Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord, open my eyes to the needs of those around me. Help me to be sensitive to the hurting and broken, especially in my church community. Let me never be too busy to stop and offer what I have—the love and healing power of Jesus. Give me the courage to be Your hands and feet, to see and respond to the needs around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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