Hanging On or Hanging Out

February 17

(Acts 3:11 NIV) "While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.”

(Luke 10:38-42 NIV) "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. {39} She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. {40} But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" {41} "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, {42} but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.""

(Luke 19:47-48 NIV) "Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. {48} Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words."

The healed beggar hung on to Peter and John. He had been walking, and jumping, and praising God, so it wasn’t for stability that he hung on to them. Perhaps it was gratitude for the men who had looked him in the eye and reached down to help him up. He wanted everyone to meet these men who had shown him Jesus and given him a second chance. We can learn from him. He was into hanging on, rather than just hanging out. Jesus needs disciples who will hang on to him, not just hang out with him. He needs people who will hang on His words, not just hang out at church. Many people hung out with Jesus, but it was the disciples who hung on to Him. Jesus is looking for Christians who will hang onto him -- believers who won’t forget where they received healing and the words of life -- disciples who will introduce Him to their friends and neighbors. Are you hanging on, or just hanging out? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day