“Lord Jesus, teach us to connect with people and offer them our right hand of fellowship. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Peter took the lame man by the right hand and lifted him up. It was then that the healing took place and his feet and ankle bones received strength. Peter had already told the man to rise up and walk but the healing happened when there was a physical connection between Peter and the lame man. It was a connection of the right hand.
There were times when Jesus spoke and healing took place and there were also times when Jesus touched people. Mark 9:25-27 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” (26) Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” (27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
The Lord touched the leper and he was cleansed. Mark 1:40-42 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (41) Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (42) As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
It was the Lord who brought healing to the lame man. It was the Lord who gave Peter and John compassion for this lame man. Nevertheless, Peter had to establish a personal connection with him. The human touch and connection are precious.
When we touch and physically connect with people, we are crossing barriers and we are bringing people to be one with us. These and much more are established when we reach out and touch people.
Generally, we are willing to support people financially, but we hold back from personally connecting with people. Connecting with people at a personal level is where ministry takes place.
Matthew 25:34-40 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35) for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; (36) I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ (37) “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? (38) When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? (39) Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ (40) And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
There are hurting people all around us. Do we establish a personal connection with them?
Think of the people with whom we interact, almost daily. Is our relationship with them only for the transaction that we have with them or do we take the effort to know them and build a bridge with them? Do we pray for people meaningfully and specifically?
The right hand is generally considered the hand of strength. So, when a relationship is established, it must be the best. The right hand also represents becoming one with the other person. Peter was telling the lame man that he was offering him his very best and that he was now one with them.
The right hand of fellowship represents oneness in the body of Christ. Galatians 2:9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Being one is the character of His church. I John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The healing of the lame man was not only his physical healing but he now had friends, who would give him their best. He was once alone and ignored by society. Now, he belonged and he was accepted as one with the disciples and was part of the body of Christ. The healing of the lame man was his complete healing.
This complete healing is what the church offers to our broken world. Physical healing too may take place but what we offer to the world is God’s Shalom, by coming into the habitat of God.