David Bahn – Reflections

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Acts 3:1-10

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

You’ll recognize the movie line, perhaps: “You lookin’ at me?” You may know it from the Disney movie, Aladdin. I know it from Back to the Future. In either case it is a challenge. The one asking is confronting someone who has crossed his path. Here, however, Peter and John look at the man who was born lame, and Luke specifically notes that they say, “Look at us.” This is not a case of Look-at–me-when-I’m-talking-to-you comeuppance. This is much more significant and a very good thing.

When I drive up to an intersection with someone holding a, “HUNGRY. PLEASE HELP” sign, I’m about 50/50. Will I make eye contact or not? Will I actually see the person, or avoid seeing him? Will I acknowledge her existence or not? Will that person receive any indication that they register on anyone’s radar by my actions? Or will he just have to go on begging, hoping that someone will take pity on him?

Peter and John not only notice, but they ask the lame man to look at them. They wanted a two-way interaction between themselves and this man. They wanted him to know that they saw him. And they wanted the man to see them too. The scene will unfold in the context of a reciprocal relationship. They won’t just throw a few coins in the man’s cap and go on their way. Nor will they look at the man, shake their heads in disgust, and then move on. They see him. They want him to see them.

He expects that they are going to give him some money. They want to give him something far better. They heal the man. This is the most obvious gift. But there is far more happening here than healing – as good as that is. They are showing this man that he has value. He is not someone to be ignored, dismissed, or just paid off. They will not treat him as an impediment to their worship, nor as a pit stop along the way to bragging that they did the right thing by giving him some money.

Simply to look at someone, and even inviting him to look at you is no substitute for helping people in need. But when we acknowledge someone we are acknowledging one for whom Jesus died, and if she believes, one in whom Jesus lives. That’s a tiny part of the gospel message, but it is a powerful start. For Jesus’ redemption sets a high value on people (not gold or silver, but his holy precious blood). I’m wondering how I might express that the next time I see someone holding a WILL WORK FOR FOOD sign.