Theos Thursday: Guidebook or God's Book?

The guidebook for tourists advised it was best to ignore beggars, and warned of teams of pickpockets posing to rob do-gooders.

photo by 3 centista, pixabay

But God’s book showed me that when Peter met a beggar he said “I don’t have any silver or gold. But I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.”      Acts 3:6, New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

While traveling in Spain I maintained my habit of daily Bible reading. The first morning in Barcelona I read the above account. Great story, but I failed to see that it applied to me.

I closed my Bible, went out sight-seeing, and passed by two beggar women without even remembering what I’d read. 

The next day I reread the passage and felt the Holy Spirit pinch. I confessed my self-centeredness and devised a simple plan for the next opportunity. 

On a street busy with foot traffic I saw a clean-cut middle aged man sitting in a doorway with a sign that said “I have problems. Help me.” He looked defeated. I stooped down to be on his level and using my barely-adequate Spanish asked him what the problems were. He said he was sick, and unemployed. I asked his name. After I dropped a few euros in his can, I told Antonio I would pray for him in Jesus’ name. 

I walked away convinced God had caused our paths to cross. 

Not ten minutes later another man, rumpled and needing a shave, approached me. He also needed help, and said his name was Antonio. Really, Lord? He looked as if drinking might be his biggest problem, and I didn’t want to be generous. I briefly pretended I didn’t speak Spanish, but the Holy Spirit prodded again. I promised to pray for him in Jesus’ name, and shared more euros.

The Antonios keep coming to mind and I have prayed for them many times. 

When I first read Acts 3:6 I was just completing an item on my do-list. When God opened my mind and heart to his word, I found I could give what I had—a little Spanish, a few euros, and faithful prayer in Jesus’ name.

 

Ask God to show you how he wants you to obey him today. Maybe he’ll send you an Antonio. 

This was originally published on christiandevotions.us, where you can find daily devotions.