Give 'em a hand

"Give em' a hand" is what I declared to the congregation last Sunday morning. My text was in Acts 3 where Peter and John encountered the lame man on the way to daily prayer in the Temple. He was healed when they extended a hand to him, not just when they spoke the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. They had done much more than giving healing to a man lame from birth. They gave him the Name, they gave him a hand, and they gave him the Gospel.

They were doing evangelism. On Monday I had the opportunity to practice what I preached, when I encountered a young man to whom I had ministered in the past. He had a question for me about truly letting go of the past. After talking a while I asked him if I could pray, and then took him by the hand. Something took place, as we stood in the entrance to WalMart, hand-in-hand, praying. He asked if he could come back to church and get back on track with his Christian walk. Of course, I encouraged him to worship with us and truly walk with the Lord. It was part of the process of evangelism.

I believe we are in a day when the Lord is reaching a hand out through His people. It is not a hand out, just a hand. Too often we are quick to give a "hand out" of money, advise, opinion, even "preaching," when God may be wanting to touch people without a word. As hard as it is, I try to listen to Him before I act or speak.