And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
Acts 3:8

So what happens when you have no hope? Imagine your normal life is so undesirable that people avoid you. You’re a lame beggar. You get stares and glares. People walk on the other side of the street to avoid you. Small children laugh and see you as untouchable.

Even the pastors in the area look away from you and will not allow you into the church.

You have friends who care for you and do what they can, but it is never enough. You’re a beggar with no ability to work. Begging IS your work. You’ve been lame from birth, and people have had to carry you everywhere you go. You rely on others for everything you do. Immerse yourself in the life of the undesirable. Look through his eyes today.

Jesus loves the undesirable

We have a beautiful picture of Jesus using two of His followers who were committed and going to the temple to pray. They were about to see Jesus do the unimaginable with the undesirable. This lame beggar was doing what he always did. He was outside of the temple and begging for money.

What better place to beg, right? Indeed, people who were going to pray and worship God would be some of the most benevolent people in the whole city.

Two of Jesus’ most faithful followers would definitely give to help this one whose normal was undesirable. All he wanted was a few coins.

Jesus uses the unlikely

Peter and John were on their way to pray, and the beggar, probably seen at the gate every day they went to pray, asked them for money. Peter and John stopped, looked at the undesirable man in an unenviable situation, and told him they had no money.

I’m sure the lame beggar kept looking at others, but Peter and John took particular interest in this man today. They gave him what he needed, not what he wanted.

Does Jesus ever do that for you? Do you ever just get what you needed rather than what you wanted? He knows best!
This time Jesus worked through Peter and John to do an amazing miracle for this man who never walked, never danced, never jogged, and never ran. He was utterly dependent on his friends.

Jesus does the unthinkable

And just like that, Peter “took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God (Acts 3:8-9).

You are just like the lame beggar from birth, and this story is in the Bible to help you understand that Jesus cares about you more than you might realize.

Think about it. This lame beggar was able to go into the temple for the first time in his life because he was no longer considered unclean. Jesus healed the lame beggar. He made him whole. He made him walk, and his feet and ankles were made strong. The miracle was not only making him able to walk but giving him the ability to walk immediately. That’s what Jesus did.

And the response was that everyone recognized him as the one who begged at the gate every day. They were all filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. When Jesus shows up, the lame walk. Jesus causes the unthinkable to happen.

What do you need from Jesus? He wants to save you and to provide all you need. In many ways, we are just like the lame beggar. We think we want one thing, and Jesus gives what we really need.

A prayer…

Lord, I need you today. Please change my perspective. Help me to live a life through the eyes of a lame beggar and be thankful for Your provision in my life. I know everyone has problems and issues. Will you please help me in every area of my life as I commit them to You? Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on a cross. Help me to understand the gravity of your love for me.