Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. Acts 4:32
Against the backdrop of the animosity that David experienced from his siblings, and the vicious scheming, and backstabbing that he observed among his own offspring, he was probably rueful when he wrote “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!” Ps 133:1-2
Inspired, David speaks here of the blessedness of unity: the overflow that results from a union of hearts. It is the same overflow that Solomon speaks of when he declares; “two are better than one, for they get a better reward for their labour.”
By fusing together in fellowship and then sharing freely with one another, the early church unlocked this blessedness so much so that it was written of them; “There was not a needy person among them.”
The key that unlocks this blessedness then is this thinking that permeates true fellowship; the thinking that nothing I own belongs to me alone.
Isn’t it curious then that we read this and somehow still let the devil scare us into not giving. Somehow, he has managed to convince us that the way to ensure we don’t experience lack is to hold on tightly to what we have. Yet it is written that the reason there was none needy among them was because “as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”
So we see here that neither of those who gave and those who received lacked anything. Was that not as it was when that little lad offered his five loaves and two fishes to the Lord? Did everyone not have sufficient and was there not a remnant larger than what was initially offered?
The key that unlocks this blessedness then is this thinking that permeates true fellowship; the thinking that nothing I own belongs to me alone. Indeed, there is nothing that we have that we have not received, and we have only received it as stewards of the common wealth.
Prayer:
Lord, help me realize that all I have, I hold in trust for the brethren.
World Changers Magazine 