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Gifts More Valuable than Money
Andrea Lende • September 4, 2021
Acts 3:2 and 6
Gifts More Valuable than Money
Acts 3:2 and 6
“A certain man crippled from his birth was being carried along, who was laid each day at the gate of the temple [which is] called Beautiful, so that he might beg for charitable gifts from those who entered the temple.”
“But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I do have, that I give to you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”
Peter and John were headed to the temple when they came across this crippled man.
The man expected he would receive something from them.
But they didn’t have any money to give him.
What they did give him far surpassed any amount of gold or silver on earth.
He received a healing.
A healing in Jesus’ Name.
As I read our passage today, I thought about the season when I didn’t have money to give to others.
I was embarrassed and felt unworthy.
I felt less than.
But this passage showed me the gifts I did have to offer were valuable in a different way.
The Lord blessed me with other gifts to bless others with.
Gifts of service.
Prayer.
Encouragement.
And help.
These were what I had to give.
I didn’t need to feel ashamed because I didn’t have money to buy someone something.
Peter and John weren’t ashamed when they didn’t have money to offer.
They gave the man what they could.
And his life was changed forever.
We are all blessed with gifts to offer others no matter what our finances tell us.
Today I choose to place less value on the money and more on the gifts the Lord has bestowed upon me to give others.
May you find you have very valuable gifts to offer those around you which have nothing to do with money.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me I am valuable to others. Thank You for showing me it doesn’t matter how much money I have in my pocket. You have given me other gifts which bless others richly. Thank You for showing me Whose I am. Help me stand tall instead of shrinking in shame, Lord. May the gifts You have given me bless someone in a mighty way. Show me more of You and Your kingdom in heaven. Help me seek You and not the world. Thank You for sending Your Son to cover me in His blood and make me worthy in Your eyes. Thank You for seeing me as perfect instead of seeing me as the flawed human being that I am. Thank You, Lord, for loving me even though I fall short. Help me give generously to others as You have given me. Help me bless someone today. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I have given you gifts far more valuable than money, My child, and you are to serve My people with them.
Response: Help me serve with joy, Father, and use the gifts You have given me for Your glory.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.