Meditate: Acts 2:44
“Shared everything” was possible because these Christians had changed the way they looked at their possessions.
Ever been to a public beach and encountered those people that insisted you were in “their spot?”
Regardless of what I actually do about that, I always think, “Hey, this is here for everyone…” We get upset because we know that these things are there for all of us to enjoy and when individuals get (wrongly) possessive about them, then the whole community suffers.
So what’s this got to do with the Church?
“Shared everything” kind of sharing is only possible when we trust that there’s going to be “enough” for all of us or when we’re so committed to one another that we’re willing to even share one another’s poverty.
The mature Christian says, “It all belongs to God anyway” and is willing to keep a loose grip on what he receives where Christian brothers and sisters are concerned.
I was talking with a friend of mine who summed it up something like this:
After I’ve written that tithe check, am I done? Is the rest of it “mine?” Or do I recognize that it all came from God and it all belongs to God. I pay Him ten percent (tithe) as an act of worship in recognition of who’s really providing for me but the other 90 percent isn’t totally mine-it’s just the part that God trusts me with.
See, what I do with that 10 percent may show my allegiance to my church or even say something about my regard for God. It may just show that I’m trying to cover all my bases. But how I treat that 90 percent shows what’s really in my heart.
Just like yelling “Hey, you’re in my spot” on an empty beach tells you pretty much all you need to know about my social skills.
- What do my attitudes and actions with money say about my trust in God?
Pray:
Praise: O Lord, You keep Your covenant of love with all who love You.
Confess: I have rebelled; I have ignored Your commands.
Thank: Your love and mercy never fail.
Ask: Give me a right attitude toward what You provide.
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