Tuesday, January 4: Acts 6- caring for those in need.

Two thoughts grabbed my attention. First, was the word ‘daily’, as in daily distribution of food. The church in Jerusalem placed a high priority on caring for those in the community who were in need. Widows had few resources and if a widow didn’t have family to care for her, there were no food stamps or government services, like Social Security to step in and help out. The people of the church accepted this responsibility. Every day the church made sure food got to widows in need. Every Day! Without this food the widows and any children she had went without food that day. And these widows would need this food every day until they remarried or if they had children.  When the children grew, they could support mom. Care for widows was a significant undertaking.

I never considered the enormity and longevity of this need. All too often I consider the needs of the poor as a ‘when I think about it’ issue. These first Christians understood the on-going nature of need for those who are poor. Day in and day out they cared. The church rose to the need in Jesus’ name.

Now this ministry was not without its issues.  What impresses me is that the leadership recognizes the need and deals with it and moves on. Stuff happens, sin and favoritism sneaks in.Okay, make corrections and move on.

People in the church step up and accept responsibility to be solvers. It comes down to people playing their part.  People daily giving the food for the widows to eat and some people managing the task of the distribution of the food. Everyone plays a role in giving and supporting those in need.  Some accept the added responsibility of organizing and doing the actual distribution.

My meditation lingers on the people daily caring for those in need within the community. There seems to be a different quality of caring for those in need in the text than I see and take part in today. I have to think on this some more. Are they more connected with one another? Do they have bigger hearts? What is the difference? I’m not sure it is a simple answer…

Lord Jesus, what is it You have me to learn today? Lord Jesus, where am I to grow today?. What changes should I make today? Help me, Lord, help me. Amen.

 

My second observation was the apostles understanding.  Their particular call to witness –preach, teach, lead  etc.- helped the community find a solution to the problem of inadequate distribution of food, but the apostles didn’t accept that role themselves. They knew what they were to do and stayed within the new job description they were given by Jesus back in Acts 1.

Interesting… this puts great ownership on the body to work out a solution.

 

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