Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. A man lame from birth was being carried, whom people placed daily at the gate of the temple called Beautiful to ask alms from those who entered the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. Peter, gazing at him with John, said, “Look at us.” Acts 3:1–4

Those people with cardboard signs at intersections… How hard is it to make eye contact?

I mean, does anyone even look at their faces?

Look, I am guilty of that as much as anyone else is. But so much of what happens in these instances is designed to be transactional. One begs, another feels guilty, and a dollar is exchanged. It is kind of a cheap way to alleviate some guilt and think you have honored God. It is most often this kind of business transaction. The begging person counts on it. But where was the human connection?

Peter challenged the man begging for alms. Look at us! Did he see thier humanity?

That man was counting on the transaction. But he looked at them and paid attention, still expecting to receive money from them. Acts 3:5

What is happening?

I know that many of those street-side occurrences begging for money know just what to say in conversation. They know the Jesus-talk to get Christians to part with money. I know that is cynical, but it is true in my experiences. I have heard the stories, been told lies.

What to do?

Most of us focus on the James passage… Because it is often taught with the baggage of guilt. What is a dollar these days, anyway?

What does it profit, my brothers, if a man says he has faith but has no works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” and yet you give them nothing that the body needs, what does it profit? James 2:14–16

Is James teaching us that we have to give money to the homeless person on the street corner?

Indulge me.

Last Christmas while in Boston, when we came up from the train to go to the hotel, there by the entrance of the convenience store sat an old lady. It was cold, and I knew she was begging. Frankly I was contemptible in that moment toward her. It was morning and someone had already bought her a warm drink. I do not recall if she said hi. I think she did.

The next morning, I stepped put the hotel to get coffee. There she was in the same place. I got some change from inside the store. She already had a warm drink.

When I gave her the meager sum, I asked her name. She had a brogue… Beautifully Irish. I saw her face, the sweetness and gratitude in her eyes. I do not recall much of the conversation.

As it was, the next day my bride did the coffee errand. The lady was there and she asked what she wanted from the store. I do not know the particulars, but it was a hot tea.

We were leaving the following day for Maine, and I eagerly awaited to see her the next morning. But alas…

I think of her often. And seriously… I am embarrassed by the contempt I had on first encounter. I yearn—yes, that is the right word—to go back to the same hotel and see her again.

That would be up to God. We do have a visit to Boston planned soon.

Back to James.

Notice the context. James is speaking of brother and sisters… Likely these are likeminded believers who are suffering trials and hardship given the extending context from Chapter 1. These are not necessarily random strangers.

So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
But a man may say, “You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God; you do well. The demons also believe and tremble. James 2:17–19

There is a lot said there about faith. The faith here is not about losing or gaining salvation. It is about usefulness. That is a faith that is useful to others and to God. Faith without world is useless to God, you, and your brother and sister.

Now, I know what verse 19 says. I also know how others misuse it. It has nothing to do with salvation of humans or demons. Demons do not get saved. They cannot, being the disembodied spirit’s of Nephilim. They have no Kinsman, no Redeemer. For that reason they tremble. Their eternal fate is sure and unchangeable. Which is what James is saying, if they exercised faith it would be dead… Useless for any purpose.

But you and I know our eternity is secure. We also know that God supplies our needs and gives us the opportunity to share with others. So if you believe God provides, giving a brother a much needed hand-up is an opportunity to witness the provision of God to all. Helping someone not of the faith lets them experience a bit of God’s love, not just hear about it.

So… What good is faith if it doesn’t satisfy real needs?

Think about that dollar you stick out the window of your car. Will that satisfy the person’s needs or will it be wasted to sate the desires of the flesh?

How could you know?

This is what is happening with Peter, John, and the lame man. Peter is determining if the man is truly needy and really wants what Peter and John have. It is a poignant moment of humanity.

When at a stop light, how does anyone determine what the panhandler needs?

Does the sign they hold tell you, or is it a story to tug at your heart and perhaps open the wallet a bit more?

Maybe Peter was determining whether the man was worthy of help. The circumstances that placed the man in the gate were truly beyond the control of the man begging. His condition did not appear to arise from the man’s own foibles. Peter saw he was lame, and the text says from birth. He was seeing him, as a true victim of circumstances beyond anything he could control, not just suffering from his own foolishness.

Peter had something to give to the man that would be the best help.

I think the idea is to see the person, not just see, but relate on a human level. Encounters with strangers should not just be transactional. Engage. Talk. Find out about the unique human person they are. You can even ask how the current circumstance came to be.

Of course, there is always the opportunity to just give the dude a dollar and roll up the window, crank the tunes, and be on your way. Right?

Then Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. Acts 3:6–7

Money would have a temporary and fleeting fix. His real need was healing.

Jumping up, he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God. Acts 3:8–9

That was a truly happy man. And it was not money that helped. It was not the faith of the man that helped, either. It was the faith of Peter and John.

They knew that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what happened to him. Acts 3:10

I almost always want to have a conversation with someone who asks for money.