“1 Now Peter and John were going up together to the temple complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon. 2 And a man who was lame from birth was carried there and placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg from those entering the temple complex. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple complex, he asked for help.

4 Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us.” 5 So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 7 Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.

8 So he jumped up, stood, and started to walk, and he entered the temple complex with them — walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.”

Acts 3:1-10

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This first recorded healing miracle for the early church gives us a great reminder of the true concern for others that should be at the forefront of our hearts and minds. 

The area of town I live and serve in has a high number of panhandlers. Our city doesn’t require them to register, so anyone and everyone can just go stand at an intersection or wander a parking lot and approach people asking for financial ‘help.’

Some people have a legitimate need, others are simply lazy. Some do have families like their cardboard signs indicate, others are just on their own. Some are humble and thankful for whatever comes their way, others are aggressive and will cuss you if you don’t give them the two dollars they’re cornering you for…

Unfortunately, it’s easy to get calloused when you see people all the time, knowing that some of them are just trying to take advantage of others. And so after a while the legitimate needs of the rest go unmet because of the chicanery of those unethical few. 

But what we see from Peter, the Holy Spirit moving in him, is that it isn’t about the money. There is a deeper need that must be addressed. It’s not the filling of the wallet, but the healing of the whole person that needs to take place. Every human being that we encounter is first and foremost just that, a human being. They are therefore precious in the sight of God and should be treated accordingly. But we need to take the time and dig deeper. We need to address the whole person. And that requires that we do just what Peter & John did:

– Stop. Let your plans go and assess the situation.

– Look them in the eye and address them personally.

– Acknowledge their need. Extend your sympathy.

– Take the time to speak to their apparent deeper need.

– Give them Jesus. 

Keep in mind, this is not always the best approach for an aggressive panhandler. So be cautious, be safe. But for those with whom we see a legitimate need, it would be best if we were to take the time and speak into their lives in the name of Christ. In this way, we can GoLove them as Jesus did, and truly make an impact on their lives for His Name’s sake.