Acts 8:20-23
Peter answered, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Reflection
When Simon misunderstood how the Holy Spirit was imparted to others Peter immediately set out to correct his wrong thinking. We might experience Peter’s rebuke of Simon as being overly harsh. However, Peter couldn’t afford to allow Simon to continue in the direction he was going because that would take him away from Jesus instead of toward the Lord. Peter had to show Simon that he needed to put aside his cultural understandings and perspective and transform his thinking through the power of the Holy Spirit that is made available in Jesus. Notice that Peter is not just writing off Simon but he is imploring him to repent and turn from his wrong ideas.
Have you ever had to inform someone whom you are mentoring in the faith that they are heading in the wrong direction and they need to change their mindset?
