A WORD FOR TODAY, February 5, 2026
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, February 5, 2026
“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes. Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there. But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.” Acts 17:10-15, WEB
I make prayer beads. I once attended a workshop with a woman who explained the history of prayer beads and then taught us about the Anglican rosary. I did some research and found other prayer bead ideas. The purpose of all types of prayer beads is to help the faithful focus their prayer lives. They are used to help the person praying focus their praise, thanksgiving, petition and supplication to God during their devotions. I was so impressed with the workshop and with the idea of the prayer beads, that I decided that I wanted to make some to share with others. I invested quite a bit of money purchasing the materials needed and I’ve managed to give and sell quite a few over the years.
My prayer beads are not appreciated by everyone. Some suggest that it is a shallow form of prayer, or too institutionalized. They don’t understand that the use of prayer beads or similar items goes well back into history. Men of God who went into the wilderness to fast and pray often used stones to count their prayers. Jewish prayer shawls have fringe that are fingered during prayer. Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians from many different cultures have found value in the use of different aids to help establish a powerful prayer life.
We tend to hear about things like this and quickly react either for or against and set our minds on our opinion without really considering the possibilities. Usually, our decision is based on a gut reaction, and we never look beyond that for a deeper understanding of why others find it helpful. One friend explained that she would never use such a thing because she had seen people callously handling the beads without even paying attention to the prayers. She said they were looking around and she thought their body language indicated that they were thinking about other things. I know that at least a few of my prayer beads have ended up hanging on a review mirror rather than being used for prayer. While it might be true that some people misuse and abuse prayer beads, it is also true that they can be quite helpful.
With all things, It is good to carefully study So, we must carefully study the issue through the scriptures and prayer to know if it is good for us to do. Of course, the Bible does not explicitly mention or prohibit the use of prayer beads, leaving it a matter of tradition and personal conviction rather than direct commandment. However, some Christians cite Matthew 6:7, where Jesus warns against vain repetitions” like the heathens, to argue against the rhythmic, repetitive nature of using beads in prayer. Other traditions see them as helpful aids for praying without ceasing found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The primary biblical emphasis is on sincere, heartfelt prayer, not the use of physical object, but sometimes those objects can help us pray.
It is important for us to look at the scriptures for every issue we face, including our salvation. It is very easy to listen to a preacher and believe what he says or read a book that is life changing and consider it true. Yet millions of people have been affected by self-help books that fade the minute something new comes on the market. Today’s weight loss miracle will be forgotten when tomorrow’s is discovered. So, we are called as Christians to search the scriptures to see what God has to say.
Paul was sent to Beroea because the Jews of Thessalonica rejected the Gospel. They had a gut reaction based on their own faith perspective. They refused to even check out the scriptures to see if the message Paul was sharing was one worth considering. They were so against the good news of Jesus Christ that they threatened Paul. There were other examples of people refusing to believe, but also of people who had a shallow belief that quickly fell apart. Many of the people who followed Jesus fell away when He began to teach the deeper things. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) had a shallow faith that wanted to benefit without responsibility. They did not search the deeper things of God for the understanding and living faith that truly changes the heart.
The Beroeans were much different. They heard the Gospel, but they went further. They searched the scriptures to see that what Paul said was true, and God’s word cut deep into their hearts. Many people in Beroea were converted to Christianity and God made a real difference in their lives. We are called as people of God to be like the Beroeans. When I first learned about the prayer beads, I spent time searching historical and biblical sources to understand their use. We should never accept something someone has said at face value, whether we think it is good or bad, but we should instead search God’s word to know what He has to say about it. Whether it is about something as unimportant as prayer beads, or as important as our salvation, God provides the foundation of our faith and the answers to our questions.
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