A big help

The believers who were scattered went everywhere, preaching the message. Philip went to the main city in Samaria and preached the Messiah to the people there. The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said, as they listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. Evil spirits came out from many people with a loud cry, and many paralysed and lame people were healed. (verses 4-7)

Read Acts 8: 1b-13

I once worked at a school where one of the cleaners, a fervent Christian, was having a profound effect on some students. Wherever he came into contact with them he engaged them in dialogue and witnessed very strongly to his faith and beliefs. Even several teachers came under his influence. There was so e criticism that he was getting above his position and doing unauthorised things.

Philip, along with Stephen, was one of the seven helpers appointed by the early Christians to look after finances and make sure that widows were looked after. Obviously, neither Stephen nor Philip restricted themselves to their jobs. Stephen preached the faith fearlessly in Jerusalem and became the first Christian martyr. Philip found himself in Samaria, where he ministered and healed in powerful ways.

It just goes to show that you can’t restrict God’s Spirit to the confines of humanly devised structures and roles. It also shows that, whatever position I occupy in life, God can use me as an effective evangelist.

Dear God, please use me in my position in life to be a channel of your Spirit to other people. Amen.

by Richard Hauser, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)

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