Another Word from Acts 8

It's hard not to feel at least a little bit sorry for "Simon the Sorcerer," whose story gets told in today's word from Acts Chapter 8 (see verses 9-25). Being a fairly talented magician, he had become somewhat accustomed to the adulation of the crowds. But when Peter and John showed up and began to demonstrate what can happen when God's power really goes  to work...well, he couldn't help but be impressed. And so, he believed and was baptized and began to follow Jesus.

However, becoming a Christian didn't automatically change everything in Simon's heart. There was still that part of him that yearned for the attention and praise of others. And so, when he saw people receiving the Holy Spirit when Peter and John laid hands on them, he wanted to be part of that! And so, the Bible says, "he offered them money and said, 'Give me also this ability, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'" (vs. 18-19)

And before we condemn Simon, it's worth considering how much the attention and praise of others influences our own spiritual journey. After all, it's awfully easy to "go through the motions" of Christian living, not because we want to be transformed, but because we want to be admired.

Of course, Peter had some words for Simon that sound pretty condemning. "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God," Peter said. (vs. 20) But maybe there's a word of hope in there, too. Because the reason you can't buy the gift of God is that it is a gift! Now, our gift might be different from somebody else's. It might not be as public or as "impressive." But as the Bible says elsewhere, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us." (Rom. 12:6; emphasis added) So maybe the real issue isn't what gift we have, but how we use it.

So...how are you going to use your gifts today? May we be content in the grace that God has given us -- and eager to be good stewards of that grace for the sake of His glory rather than our own. Amen.