The Temple Gate Called Beautiful

"Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”

So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”"
~Acts 3:2-6

I was reading this today and for some reason this story just really stands out to me. There is something about the name of the gate...Beautiful. It's almost as if he can only be just outside beauty...never quite attaining it. And he was hoping...begging...for some money. He wanted things of this world...things that would never truly make him happy. John and Peter knew, however, about something (or someone) that was worth sooo much more than anything on this earth. So, this is the metaphorical picture I get...

This man was born imperfect, unworthy compared to the world's standards. So he spent his day sitting just outside the gates of Beauty and yearned, reached, begged for something that could bring him closer to the beauty and acceptance he wanted. He yearned for things that would never satisfy him.

Of course, then John and Peter come along and share the truth with him. He didn't need to beg for worldly things because he could be healed and completed by the One thing that really mattered.

Idk, maybe I'm reaching a little too much with this one but I just get this picture in my head every time I read about it. All too often we tend to feel inferior and ugly...but God makes us beautiful. We wait outside and strive for a way to get into the inner realms of "Beautiful" but it's God that takes us there. His sacrafice for us is so completely beautiful that it overflows onto us when we enter his gates of love.