When all the people saw him walking and praising God,  they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Acts 3:9-12

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Crowds can be fickle. Star-struck in one moment. Disheartened in the next. If you’ve ever been to a Cubs game, you know the feeling. Cheers and jeers happen every inning, every season. Since the Cubbies’ World Series win in 2016, fair-weather fans keep flooding Wrigley’s friendly confines. Breaking a 108-year championship drought has that effect. But only the true-at-heart remain resolute regardless of outcomes. They stand firm when the allegiances of others sway. When the game ends, they’re grateful whether “Go, Cubs, Go” gets sung or not. Why? Because it’s the fully devoted who make the shift from star-struck to something deeper.

When I read Acts 3, it’s hard to take in all that happens with Peter, John, the healed lame man, and the crowd. Can you imagine seeing someone go from a lifetime of physical disability to instantly leaping for joy? Now that’s a reason to fly the W flag high! When the star-struck crowd goes wild, it’s not odd on the surface. They’re filled with wonder, amazement, and astonishment. You can see it on their faces, hear it in their voices, and feel it as they rush the field. Cue the ticker tape parade to Solomon’s Colonnade. But there’s more beneath this miraculous story.

With the fair-weather followers’ full attention, Peter calls the crowd’s bluff. He first reminds them that all credit belongs to God not him or John. Then, he lays down a truth-bomb of a speech revealing how fickle their hearts really are (read Acts 3:13-26 for the full scoop). The whole scene is as convicting today as it was then, at least for anyone willing to trade being star-struck for something deeper spiritually.

Today, by God’s grace, you and I will experience a miracle. It might be as simple as breathing and blinking without thinking about it. Maybe you’ll get all your groceries for cheaper than budgeted. Or quite possibly you’ll experience the inexplicable healing of something broken—a stalled engine or down computer server, a fractured marriage or friendship, or even prolonged unemployment or homelessness. When the miracle makes it your way, don’t get swept up into the fair-weather crowd. When you give God all the glory for whatever happens, you invite the Holy Spirit to shift your heart from star-struck to something deeper.

Next Steps

Who do you give credit to when something goes great (or not so great) in your life? Write down at least one surprise that you’ve experienced or seen in your life that you forgot to give God credit for. Send today’s devotion to a friend and meet up to talk about your desire to move spiritually from star-struck to something deeper as you follow Jesus.

Remember, throughout this series we’re reading the book of Acts as a church. Take a look at the reading plan and join in!