Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 3 verses 1 through 10:
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. 2And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms.4Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, ‘Look at us.’ 5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’ 7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.8Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Perhaps what we most need to do for those in need is learn to see and look at them — to make eye contact with them.
It is so easy to avert the eyes or turn the head when we see someone in need. We pretend not to notice. We send the message that we don’t care. It’s like we put up a force field to try protect ourselves from their humanity.
Today’s Lesson says Peter looked at the beggar — intently. Peter saw him, not just the lame beggar but also the human being. Peter saw the man and allowed the man to see him also.
Silver and gold we may not have as we walk the streets of this world. But what we do have is a glance, or a nod, or a smile, or a simple, “Hello.”
There lies the real miracle, in me and between us — in the I and also the Thou.
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