November 8, 2007 - Acts 3:2

“Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.” Acts 3:2.
It was this man’s life to be carried to the Temple so that he could make his living by begging. He had, most likely, not known any other way of making money to provide for himself. I would add that this crippled man probably had worked himself up to be in this prime location, just outside the Beautiful Gate. It would be one of the best locations for him to make the most money possible. Many Temple-goers would have to pass right by the place where he sat begging, and it would be hard to ignore him. Yet this man, day after day, conducted his ‘business” and made his living as best he could. Little did he know that his whole world was about to be turned upside down, or, should I say, turned right-side up.
Like the man in this verse, I realize that most of us have jobs that we go to on a daily basis. We may not be crippled in the way that this man was, but each of us has things that ‘cripple’ us, keeping us within our own comfortable paradigm. It was risky enough for this crippled man to beg at the gate of the Temple, and it is risky enough for us to do those things in our jobs that are uncomfortable. Risky enough, but not too risky.
Questions to consider: Do you relate to this crippled man in any way? If so, how? If not, why not? How comfortable are you in your life and in what you do with it? Are you willing to be more risky for God? If not, what is holding you back?
This man’s life is about to radically change, and he was willing for that to happen. Are you willing to allow God space to invade your life in order to deal with those things that cripple you? It can be a fearful thing, requiring a radical change, but would it be worth it?
I am challenged to not be satisfied with my status-quo. I want to always allow God the space to come into my life and transform me. How about you?
Prayer – Father, thank you for the story of this crippled man, and how it challenges me to reflect on my own ‘crippled-ness.’ Help me not to hide behind my ‘crippled-ness’ and to allow You the room to invade my life, in order that I might serve You with a pure heart and mind. Amen.