A Thought For The Week Of December 17

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had." (Acts 4:32) This is one of the most intriguing verses in the entire Bible, and there's so much that we could do with it. But I want to focus on the idea of unity. In that very early church, the believers were one and shared everything. Some might use this as a justification for socialist ideology, but that really doesn't work. Socialism depends on the mandated redistribution of resources by the government. What amazes me is that, for these early Christians, it doesn't appear that sharing was "required." There's nothing saying that you had to share everything to be part of the community. It was, in fact, the reverse. The community meant so much and was so united "in heart and mind" that the people were moved to share everything with each other rather than being compelled to. What a community! And one that reflects the nature of God and, really, the meaning of Christmas. What is Christmas, really, except the choice by God to share with the world - and to share everything, not because God had to share, but because God wanted to share. And this verse seems to say that if, as a community, the church truly lives with hearts and minds that are fully open to the Gospel, then the church can can be "one in heart and mind." Our centre of unity - that which binds us together - is Jesus Christ, God's gift to the world. With Jesus at the centre (not theologies or ideologies or doctrines or interpretations or works or spiritual gifts or anything else except Jesus) how can we not be "one in heart and mind"? How can we not set aside the things that divide us and just rejoice in the love and grace of God given in Jesus? Have a great week!