The third chapter of the Book of Acts, in the New Testament reports the wonderful story of a miraculous healing. These are truly big headlines about our Messiah Yeshua working through His disciple Peter in the presence of John.
Expecting monetary gain and receiving physical healing
It is interesting to observe the lame beggar at the Temple. The scene takes place in the 1st Century, but it could be easily transferred to our contemporary world of the 21st Century: a handicapped man is sitting in front of a church or a synagogue, or anywhere else downtown, expecting people to grant him a few coins and maybe a banknote if they are lucky.
So here are Peter and John, two of Yeshua's real close disciples who have known our Lord as he walked the earth. Of course, the beggar expects a material gesture in the same way. He is probably so much used to this kind of charity all the time. Especially when a person suffers from a handicap, people are more likely to be generous towards a beggar. I don't know if it is love, it could also be a form of pity rather than real compassion.
However Peter seems to act in a very surprising way. He first raises the lame beggar's attention.
Why does Peter say: "Look at us!"? The reason is quite simple: Peter wants the man to fully focus on him and John. One must make his mind available to receive a gift from the Holy Spirit.
To the lame beggar's greatest amazement, Peter states that he doesn't possess silver or gold. Yet he possesses something much more precious: the Spirit of God.
Note that the healing occurs in the powerful Name of Yeshua. Peter proclaims Yeshua's mighty Name before he takes the handicapped man's hand to raise him up.
The comfort of illness and its relationship with the lack of healing
Very few people will admit it openly, but unconsciously a lot of them find much comfort in illnesses rather than in being cured. Why is it so?
Especially in psycho-somatic sicknesses, the ill person uses the sickness as an excuse to be pitied or to be freely taken care of. In the depths of their soul, they are enjoying the situation and want it to keep on going, especially if there is a financial benefit attached to it ("no need to work because I am receiving this financial compensation for my illness").
One can assume that even the lame beggar would probably find comfort in receiving pieces of gold and silver from diverse people daily.
Maybe he was living comfortably with this source of income-maybe not. It is just a supposition.
Making him recover health is also offering him the keys towards his financial independance, which he probably wants, if we consider his spontaneous reaction in joy and praise.
Peter reminds us all to glorify the Source of all healing: Hashem.
If you have been granted to heal people through the power of the Holy Spirit, always remember to give our Lord all the glory.
Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
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