You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. Acts 20:34
After learning that a tsunami ravaged the villages of Sri Lanka and destroyed the sewing machine a woman had worked for years to purchase, an American seamstress named Margaret was moved to help. Recognizing that the woman-and others like her-had lost her means of making a living like a tailor, Margaret collected several sewing machines and shipped them to Sri Lanka and India where they'd be used to teach the recipients how to sew. This equipped them with a life-long skill they could use to support themselves and their families.
Paul too knew the importance of earning a living, and he did so using a similar craft: tentmaking (ACTS 18:3). Paul viewed his work as ministry-one of several ways he seerved God-not merely as a means to fund his minisrty of preaching. He didn't ask for "anyone's silver or gold" but used his hands to "[supply his] own needs and the needs of [his] companions" (20:33-34). He urged the elders in the church at Ephesus to do likewise: work hard so they could "help the weak" in their community (v. 35).
Paul didn't separate his ministry from his work. Rather he looked on the entirety of his life's activities as ministry. When we work for the good of others and not just for ourselves-with whatever skills we have-we bear witness to our new identities as believers in Jesus and make Him known to those around us.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
INSIGHT
- How has Gsomeone else's work benefited you in a way that you recognized God within them?
- How can your skills, activities, and labors reflect His goodness to those around you?
Acts 20:32–35 captures the apostle Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders, emphasizing selfless service and the blessing of generosity. As he prepares to leave, Paul entrusts them to God and His grace, which builds up believers and grants them an eternal inheritance (v. 32). He reminds them of his own example—how he worked hard to provide for himself and his companions, never seeking material gain (v. 34). Instead, he urged them to help the weak and to remember Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (v. 35). This passage highlights the call to servant-hearted leadership, the importance of generosity, and the eternal rewards of living according to God’s grace.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for equipping me with skills and abilities. Please help me to use them in a way that allows others to see You at work in my life. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!!
Read: Acts 20:32-35 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: Judges 19-21; Luke 7:31-50
