"Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.'"

In a world where wealth is often measured by the weight of silver and gold, the story of Peter and the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate offers a profound lesson: Not having money is not a crime, but having nothing is.

Peter’s words in Acts 3:6 echo through the ages, challenging our priorities and redefining what it means to truly possess something of worth. He did not say, “I have nothing.” Instead, he declared, “I don’t have what you want, but I have what you need.” Peter carried no silver or gold, yet he carried something far greater—‘value.’

This revelation struck me deeply: the lack of money is not the real issue; the real crime is having nothing to offer, nothing to meet the needs of those around us. Money can satisfy temporary wants, but only value can address permanent needs. Peter understood this. He carried the power of Jesus Christ, a value that transcended material wealth. He didn’t need gold to change a life; he carried something eternal.

This truth challenges me—and all of us—to ask: What do I have to give to those who look up to me? To the “crippled at the Beautiful Gate,” the beggars in our lives who are not just seeking money but are desperate for something deeper, something lasting. They don’t just need coins; they need value. They need solutions to their problems, hope for their despair, and answers to their questions.

Money is good, but value is better. Why? Because value produces more than money ever could. Value transforms lives, heals wounds, and builds legacies. Men and women of value don’t need to carry gold because they carry something far more powerful—the ability to meet the real needs of humanity.

As I reflect on this, I pray: Lord, make me a person of value. Help me to pursue value more than gold, to pursue You more than silver. Give me what it takes to solve men’s problems, to meet their real needs—not just their temporary wants. Equip me to be a vessel of Your love, Your power, and Your truth. May I carry what the world truly needs: Jesus.

Thought-Provoking Questions for Reflection:

1. What do I currently carry—money or value?

2. Who are the “crippled at the Beautiful Gate” in my life, and what do they truly need from me?

3. How can I shift my focus from accumulating wealth to becoming a person of lasting value?

4. What steps can I take to ensure I am meeting the real needs of those around me, not just their temporary wants?

Let this be our mission: to carry value, to be vessels of transformation, and to meet the world’s deepest needs with the eternal power of Christ. Money may come and go, but value lasts forever. Let us pursue what truly matters.