I want to ask a simple but searching question:

What kind of people does God use?

Acts 3 gives us a compelling answer.

Peter and John were on their way to the temple at the hour of prayer when they encountered a man who had been lame from birth. Every day, he was carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he asked for alms from those entering to worship.

It was an ordinary day. Peter and John were following an ordinary routine. But before it was over, a man who had never walked would be “walking, leaping, and praising God” (Acts 3:8, NKJV).

The miracle is remarkable. But so are the people God chose to work through.

This familiar story teaches us something about the kind of people God uses: not necessarily the most talented, impressive, or prominent, but people who are faithful, available, attentive, obedient, and willing to give God the glory.

Faithful people who show up

Acts 3 begins with a seemingly insignificant detail:

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.” — Acts 3:1, NKJV

They went up together.

This is Peter, the disciple who had publicly failed and denied the Lord. And this is John, the disciple known for love and loyalty, who had remained near Jesus through the crucifixion.

Now we find them walking together.

There is something beautiful about that picture. Peter’s failure had not become his identity, and John had not distanced himself from a brother who needed restoration. They were together, serving God and moving forward.

That is ministry before the miracle ever happens.

God often does His greatest work through people who simply keep showing up. Peter and John were not headed to the temple looking for an opportunity to perform a miracle. They were going to pray.

No miracle agenda. No strategic plan. Just faithful obedience.

And in the middle of an ordinary act of faithfulness, God gave them an extraordinary opportunity.

When we are faithful with the ordinary, God can entrust us with the extraordinary.

We sometimes wait for the spectacular while overlooking the importance of simply being faithful. But much of what God does begins with people who pray, serve, give, encourage, help, and keep showing up.

Faithfulness puts us in places where God can use us.

People willing to be interrupted

As Peter and John approached the temple, the lame man asked them for money.

They were on their way somewhere. They had a destination and a schedule. But ministry met them at the door.

Peter and John could have kept walking. After all, they were headed to prayer. What could be more spiritual than that?

But they stopped.

One of the marks of people God uses is their willingness to be interrupted.

We can become so focused on where we are going that we fail to notice whom God has placed along the way. Schedules matter. Responsibilities matter. Plans matter. But people matter more.

Jesus repeatedly demonstrated this throughout His ministry. Some of His most meaningful encounters occurred while He was on His way somewhere else. A woman touched the hem of His garment while He was going to Jairus’s house. Blind Bartimaeus cried out while Jesus was passing through Jericho. Again and again, what appeared to be an interruption became an opportunity for ministry.

The same can be true for us.

Ministry often comes disguised as an interruption.

The unexpected phone call. The person who needs a few minutes of our time. The conversation we did not plan. The need we notice on the way to something else.

God uses people who leave enough room in their lives to notice.

People who truly see others

Acts 3:4 says:

“And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, ‘Look at us.’” — Acts 3:4, NKJV

Peter and John did more than hear the man’s request. They looked at him.

That matters.

The man had probably sat at that gate day after day as hundreds of people passed him. Many undoubtedly saw him, but Peter and John noticed him.

There is a difference.

Leadership and ministry can easily become consumed with programs, meetings, responsibilities, goals, and tasks. All of those have their place. But ultimately, ministry is about people.

God uses people who learn to see people.

We all have needs of our own. Peter and John certainly did. God does not use people because they have no problems, burdens, or struggles. He uses people who refuse to become so consumed with their own needs that they can no longer see the needs around them.

Prayer should help us do that.

Prayer that draws us closer to God should also make us more sensitive to the people around us. We cannot spend time in the presence of the One who loves people and remain indifferent to them.

People who inspire hope

When Peter told the man to look at them, Acts 3:5 says:

“So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.” — Acts 3:5, NKJV

He expected something.

At first, his expectation was probably small. He wanted money. Perhaps a few coins to help him through another day.

But Peter and John carried something greater than what he was asking for.

There is something powerful about people whose presence creates hope.

Some people enter a room and immediately draw attention to themselves. Others enter a room and somehow cause people to believe that things can get better.

God uses the second kind.

They are encouragers. They are givers. They strengthen faith. They lift burdens. They bring hope into difficult circumstances.

Their primary question is not, What can I get from this? but, What can I give?

That is a defining characteristic of spiritual leadership.

Leadership is not ultimately about position, recognition, or authority. It is about using whatever influence God has given us to help others become what He has called them to be.

People who use what they have

Then Peter spoke one of the most familiar statements in Acts:

“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.” — Acts 3:6, NKJV

Peter acknowledged what he did not have, but he did not allow what he lacked to keep him from using what he possessed.

That is an important lesson.

It is easy to postpone usefulness while waiting for something more.

When I have more time.

When I have more resources.

When I know more.

When I have greater influence.

When I feel better prepared.

But God has always been able to do remarkable things with what people are willing to place in His hands.

Moses had a staff. David had a sling and five stones. A little boy had five loaves and two fish. Peter and John had no silver or gold, but they had faith in the name of Jesus Christ.

The question is not simply, What do I lack?

A better question is, What has God already placed in my hands?

It may be a word of encouragement, a phone call, a note, a prayer, an act of generosity, a skill, an experience, or simply the willingness to be present.

We do not have to possess everything to give something.

So the question remains: Are we lifters or leaners?

God uses people who look for opportunities to strengthen others with what they already have.

People who know where the power comes from

The lame man asked for silver and gold. God gave him something far greater.

He asked for enough to survive another day. God gave him the strength to stand and walk.

Peter understood something every Christian leader must remember:

God is the source. We are only the channel.

This pattern runs throughout Scripture.

Moses lifted the staff, but God parted the Red Sea.

David released the stone, but God gave the victory.

The servants filled the waterpots, but Jesus turned the water into wine.

Peter extended his hand, but God put strength into the man’s feet and ankles.

God allows us to participate in what He is doing, but the power never originates with us.

That truth should keep us both confident and humble.

Confident, because the outcome does not depend entirely upon our ability.

Humble, because whatever God accomplishes through us is ultimately the result of His power and grace.

People who act in faith

Peter did more than speak to the man.

“And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” — Acts 3:7, NKJV

Peter reached out his hand.

There comes a point when faith must move beyond intention.

We can recognize a need, care deeply about it, pray about it, and even know what ought to be done. But eventually, obedience requires action.

Peter could not heal the man. Only God could do that.

But Peter could extend his hand.

That distinction is important.

Our responsibility is obedience; the outcome belongs to God.

We cannot change every circumstance. We cannot solve every problem. We cannot produce spiritual results through human effort. But we can do what God asks us to do and trust Him with what happens next.

Sometimes the step God asks of us seems small. Make the call. Have the conversation. Give the gift. Offer the apology. Pray the prayer. Extend the hand.

We do what we can do and trust God to do what only He can do.

People who give God the glory

The healing immediately attracted attention. The people who had seen the man sitting at the temple gate were filled with wonder and amazement.

A crowd gathered around Peter and John.

It would have been an easy moment to accept the attention. Instead, Peter immediately redirected it:

“Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” — Acts 3:12, NKJV

Peter refused to take credit for what God had done.

That may be one of the greatest tests of anyone God uses.

It is one thing to trust God when no one notices us. It is another thing to remain humble when they do.

God uses people who understand that the purpose of influence is not to make their own name greater, but to make His name known.

The miracle was not about Peter.

It was not about John.

And ultimately, it was not even about the healed man.

It pointed people to Jesus.

The kind of people God still uses

Acts 3 begins with two men simply going to prayer.

Before the day was over, a man who had never walked was leaping and praising God, a crowd had gathered in amazement, and Peter had an opportunity to preach Jesus.

It all began with people who were available.

God still works through ordinary people who show up faithfully, allow themselves to be interrupted, notice the needs around them, inspire hope, use what they have, act in obedience, depend upon His power, and give Him the glory.

Not perfect people.

Peter’s presence in this story should settle that.

Not necessarily prominent people.

Not people who have everything they need.

Just willing people.

The question, then, is not merely, What kind of people does God use?

Perhaps the more searching question is:

Am I becoming that kind of person?