Reading Plan: 

Acts 3 

See People 

Author: Mellanie Alexander 

Have you ever been in a crowded room and felt alone? I know that seems like a contradiction, but it's so very true for many of us. Have you felt unseen, unnoticed, or overlooked? In Acts Chapter 3, a lame man is begging at the Beautiful Gate, and I think he probably felt this way.  

He was lame from birth, and someone had to carry him to the gate daily just so he could beg for alms. He was ostracized from society. He couldn't work to earn money. He would starve if he didn't beg. He had no options and no choice but to beg. I bet he felt humiliated. I bet he felt alone. I bet he felt unseen.  

It was the hour of prayer, and Peter and John came along to continue in their Jewish custom of praying at certain times of the day. The beggar sees them and asks them for alms. "And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, 'Look at us.'" (vs.4.) Most people when giving to the poor or lame would never make eye contact. Peter and John stopped and fixed their gaze on this man - this man who was lame from the moment he was born and they saw him. They really saw him. They demanded his attention. The lame man fixed his attention on them, "expecting to receive something from them." (vs. 5) 

I wonder how he felt at that moment in time? I wonder what it felt like to be really seen? To be acknowledged? I bet he thought he was about to receive some kind of big gift. If these men took the time to see him and then command his attention, surely something good was in store. He didn't know he was about to be given a new life, but Peter and John, being filled with the Holy Spirit, saw him and knew what God could do.  

How often do we overlook people? It's not hard to see a homeless person on the side of the road begging and keep driving. It’s not hard to see someone hurting and quickly avert our eyes. Do you know what's even easier? Being so busy and so distracted that we overlook those people closest to us. We don't make room for the Holy Spirit in our lives, so we can't hear when He tells us to make lunch plans with a friend. We don't listen when He tells us to take extra time with our children because they need it. We ignore Him when He tells us to serve our spouses because they need to feel extra loved and cherished. We quench the Holy Spirit with our distractions. We over plan and overlook. Peter and John were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they noticed people. Yes, they saw people in need of physical healing, but they also saw people who needed to be seen and shown the love of God more.   

Let's take some time to really see people. Let's be people who have taken the time to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that it's just natural to really see others in their brokenness and love them well. Let's be people of action.  

Reflection: 

• Who in your life needs someone to see them? How can you take the time to be with them and share Jesus with them? 

Family Application: Power to Heal 

Author: Tina Bryant 

• We have been reading in the book of Acts about the POWER of the Holy Spirit. Today, we read about another cool power of the Holy Spirit, the power to heal! In Acts 3, two of Jesus' disciples, Peter and John, were going to church to pray. At the church, there was a man who couldn’t walk. Back in those days that also meant he couldn’t work for money. So, the man was asking people to give him money. Peter tells him that he has no money to give him but that he has something else for him. Then guess what happened? He tells the man, “Get up and walk!” The man who couldn’t walk… got up and walked! He was healed and everyone was amazed! What a cool gift!!! 
• How do you think Peter was able to help the man walk? Peter believed in the promise Jesus gave him about the Holy Spirit’s power, and he used that power to help heal the man! Not only was the man healed, but God used that moment to show others the power of Jesus! When we let God use us, we can do awesome and amazing things too!  
• Healing is a pretty cool superpower. Peter believed that God would use him, and he had faith that the power of the Holy Spirit was in him because of the promise Jesus gave in Acts 1. God can use you to help others too! Who is someone you know who is sick or hurt that you can pray Jesus will heal? 
• Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for the power to heal! Help us to grow in faith and be used to help heal others, just like You used Peter to help heal the man who couldn’t walk. Amen.