Your Gifts from God
“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money!’”
Acts 8:18-20
This reading is to the point and does not give much room for discussion. Because the people of Samaria accepted the Word of God, Peter and John went to them to spread the Good News. Simon believed he could buy the Holy Spirit’s power; however, Peter informed him that it was not possible. To be filled with the Holy Spirit, you must turn from sin, ask for forgiveness and believe in Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us that we are all blessed with many gifts from God, one of which is the Holy Spirit. None of us have the same gifts and we probably do not use them as wisely as we should. However, they are freely given. We do not need to pay for the gifts we receive from Him and we cannot choose them.
It was a good lesson that we learned during the Covid outbreak. We may have access to resources and the best medical attention, but that access did not save many who died.
Jesus died for us and saved us without charging a fee. We are called to love and treat our neighbors with righteousness and to pass on our gifts through that love. It is through our responses that we repay God for what He has given us.
