Beautiful

This morning I was thinking about the crippled man who sat at the temple gate in Acts 3 begging for money.  As I was remembering the story, I began to sing, “He went walking and leaping and praising God, walking and leaping and praising God; in the name of Jesus Christ…”  I couldn’t remember the rest of the words, so I googled it, and refreshed not only my memory, but my spirit as I sang along.

I recalled hearing messages focusing on the Apostles, their message, the healing, and the transformed life.  But this morning I was reflecting on the people who were responsible for the crippled man’s Divine encounter, namely the people who carried him to the temple gate.

I don’t know if it was only one person or a bunch of people who carried the crippled man to the temple.  I don’t know if this act was done by a family member or friend.  I don’t know if the “friend” was paid from the alms the crippled man received or if the friend’s wages was love.  I don’t know if this action was done out of a sense of duty or was motivated by kindness.  I don’t know if this action was done in bitterness or if the person was moved by compassion.

But there is one thing that I know.  This crippled man was carried every day to this place by a nameless person or persons so he could beg.  If it wasn’t for this “invisible” person or persons, this man might not have even been in a beneficial place, much less, a place to have a Divine encounter.

As I reflect on the cripple man who sat at the temple gate named, “Beautiful,” I am reminded of Paul’s words in Romans 10:14-15:

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Isn’t this…Beautiful?