WORD From The Woods
Acts 3:1-10
“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 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!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 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.”
As we read the story of a man who had been lame from birth, there are a few simple truths we can pull out. Every day, this man was placed at the temple gate and was begging for alms from those who entered. This was his life, 100% dependence on the charity of others, all the way down to those who put him in by the gate. His survival and hope were tied to silver and gold. But when he encountered Peter and John, something extraordinary happened. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke words that changed the man's life forever: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"
Verse 6 shows us a powerful truth about where our true wealth lies. Peter acknowledged that he didn’t have silver or gold, but what he had, the name of Jesus, was what he actually needed. This is a timely reminder for all of us, especially those of us who work in industries like logging, where the monetary rewards of hard work often feel like the primary focus. We take pride in what we do, and rightly so, our labor produces results we can see, feel, and use, and work is a way we glorify God. But just as Peter showed the beggar, the ultimate power doesn’t lie in what we can earn or gather for ourselves; it lies in the name of Jesus Christ.
In the Forestry industry, we understand the value of hard work, sweat, and long hours. Every log cut, every tree felled, and every hill climbed is the result of precision, strength, and determination. But there’s also a deeper truth: no matter how skilled or strong we are, it’s ultimately God who provides the growth of the forest, the resources we use, and the strength we need to do our work. The healing Peter offered to the beggar is a symbol of the deep transformation Jesus offers to us all, not just physically, but spiritually.
Peter’s declaration, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you,” speaks directly to us. We work with our hands, and often, we are paid in wages or contracts that reflect the labor we put in. But Jesus reminds us that there’s something more valuable than the paycheck, there’s the eternal, life-changing power of Christ. Just as the beggar was transformed through the power of Jesus, our work, rooted in Christ, has the potential to transform lives, not just in the physical sense, but spiritually, as we offer the hope and healing of Jesus to those around us.
When we go out each day this week to our work, whether in the woods or in the office, let us remember that our true strength and wealth come from Jesus, and He can use us to bring about healing and restoration, just as He did through Peter. We may not always have silver and gold to give, but we have the message of salvation, a message that can heal the brokenhearted and restore the lost.
Have a Blessed Week! -Ethan-
Acts 3:1-10
“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 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!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 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.”
As we read the story of a man who had been lame from birth, there are a few simple truths we can pull out. Every day, this man was placed at the temple gate and was begging for alms from those who entered. This was his life, 100% dependence on the charity of others, all the way down to those who put him in by the gate. His survival and hope were tied to silver and gold. But when he encountered Peter and John, something extraordinary happened. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke words that changed the man's life forever: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"
Verse 6 shows us a powerful truth about where our true wealth lies. Peter acknowledged that he didn’t have silver or gold, but what he had, the name of Jesus, was what he actually needed. This is a timely reminder for all of us, especially those of us who work in industries like logging, where the monetary rewards of hard work often feel like the primary focus. We take pride in what we do, and rightly so, our labor produces results we can see, feel, and use, and work is a way we glorify God. But just as Peter showed the beggar, the ultimate power doesn’t lie in what we can earn or gather for ourselves; it lies in the name of Jesus Christ.
In the Forestry industry, we understand the value of hard work, sweat, and long hours. Every log cut, every tree felled, and every hill climbed is the result of precision, strength, and determination. But there’s also a deeper truth: no matter how skilled or strong we are, it’s ultimately God who provides the growth of the forest, the resources we use, and the strength we need to do our work. The healing Peter offered to the beggar is a symbol of the deep transformation Jesus offers to us all, not just physically, but spiritually.
Peter’s declaration, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you,” speaks directly to us. We work with our hands, and often, we are paid in wages or contracts that reflect the labor we put in. But Jesus reminds us that there’s something more valuable than the paycheck, there’s the eternal, life-changing power of Christ. Just as the beggar was transformed through the power of Jesus, our work, rooted in Christ, has the potential to transform lives, not just in the physical sense, but spiritually, as we offer the hope and healing of Jesus to those around us.
When we go out each day this week to our work, whether in the woods or in the office, let us remember that our true strength and wealth come from Jesus, and He can use us to bring about healing and restoration, just as He did through Peter. We may not always have silver and gold to give, but we have the message of salvation, a message that can heal the brokenhearted and restore the lost.
Have a Blessed Week! -Ethan-