Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, June 11, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
What made it possible for the believers to go out and give testimony? All their basic needs were met. Because of their model of sharing all their possessions and living communally, the work-load was shared, they had adequate food, clothing, and shelter, and didn’t have to worry about how to support themselves 24/7. This gave them the freedom in their spare time to go out and witness.
A young-adult friend of mine is really struggling with working full time due to her various mental health and minor physical issues. She’s perpetually exhausted and has very little time for the hours-long bike rides she used to take before her full-time job—rides which are so critical to her mental well-being. She asked me how life was worth it if everyone had to struggle so much just for basic survival. It really gave me pause. And then I read this and thought: the early Christians had it right.
Imagine how much love, how much creativity, how much healing could be unleashed on the world if we did a better job societally of taking care of each other’s needs. It worked for the early Christians—they gave testimony with great power, and grace was upon them all. How cool is that?
Do I find time to do things I’m passionate about? Why or why not?
