Humility vs Hautiness

     Peter and John had lived with Jesus. They had witnessed many miracles and had become enabled through the Holy Spirit to perform miracles. 
     In Acts 3, after Jesus' death and resurrection, we see that as they went through the streets of Jerusalem to pray at the temple they saw a man who had never walked because of a deformity in his feet and ankles. He had begged as a means of supporting himself every day. His parents would bring him to the busiest place in the square, the gate called Beautiful, and would leave him there to rely on the mercy of others. 
     When they walked near the man he looked at them expectantly. He wanted them to give him something and was waiting to receive it. They gave him much more than mere money, they gave him a miracle... the ability to walk. No longer would he have to beg or to be pitied. 
     Peter and John explained that this only happened by the power of God and not by anything they could possess on their own. Because of their humility, God was able to use Peter and John greatly.
     In Acts 4 we see that the Saducees (teachers in the Jewish faith that only followed the first 5 books of the Old Testament) became upset when they saw these two uneducated men teaching in the temple. 
     Rather than being humbled by the power of the God they professed to believe in, they were enraged because this miracle, and the subsequent teaching about how it came about and what had happened to the Man who made it possible. All they could see was their own power, as leaders in the community, being usurped by Jesus even after they had managed to kill Him. 
     The Saducees had Peter and John arrested and brought them before the Jewish leadership hoping to stop them from spreading Jesus' message which threatened their positions in the community.
     However, the bible says that the Holy Spirit filled Peter and he began to speak of Jesus and the salvation that can only be obtained by His name. It also says that these leaders could see Peter and John were uneducated and untrained they were amazed at how they spoke and acted and could tell they had been with Jesus.
     Because people were watching and proclaiming the Glory of God, and because the proof of the miracle (the man who was healed) was standing before them, they had to let Peter and John go. There was no way they could punish them without causing the people they wanted to rule to rebel and walk away from them.
     1 Corinthians 1:27 tells us

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; (NKJV)

     This is proven out here as He used humble men, perceived to be weak, to confound haughty men, perceived to be mighty.

Father, 
Let us remain humble in our hearts knowing that what is done through us is done in Your power and to Your glory. Let us be so steeped in Your word that we will instinctively act as You would have us act and speak as You would have us speak. Let us remember where our strength comes from and Who loves us so much He gave His only Son to die that we might live forever in Heaven. Lord we long to worship at Your feet for eternity.
Amen