A CALL TO DISTRIBUTION

"There was not a needy person among them, for 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."
Acts 4:34-35 ESV

So many aspects in which we still fall till this day; in our greed, in our selfishness, in our neglect of the lack of oneness. In a world that leads us to believe in the power of possession, the power of high status, the hold conformity has on us. Doors are open for responsibilities to be fully understood and led to grasping when it comes to the giving to those who are in need. Our decisions of keeping our money more for material wants such as clothes, bags, coffee, luxury, whatever is leaving us empty handed when the donation box is passed around for starving kids in Africa. Need is the first word which comes to mind when the thought of Africa comes to mind; a need for physical possessions, a need for spiritual blessings, a need for intellectual blessings. Why does not a feeling of dissonance lead a hungry people desiring for the befalling of the Holy Spirit come when such imbalance within our globe is constantly growing in our needy world. This is not only because our spoken compassion is mismatched with our outward action of compassion, but also because our spoken desire for communion is mismatched with our outward action for communion.

When was the community of believers under Christ in closest communion in this early church in the Acts of the Apostles? When they had everything in common; even though rich and poor were both present, the word speaks that they had laid down their possessions and any who had need had taken. A conviction yet reflection of how we should respond to the grace of God as stewards. None of what we have is our own, so why do we take and use as if we're paying our own for material wants?

"And he said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'"
Job 1:21

What is required in order for our conformity to this call of distribution and lending is our poverty in spirit and then our boldness in spirit. A combination of both leads to the dependence fully on the Holy Spirit who will grow us closer and closer in our righteousness until sanctification. As our dependence increases, our recognition of our call forms into a much more serious conviction in our hearts. It will bring us to the boldness of our Lord which was exactly the combination found in the early church. They knew they needed boldness, but only that found in the Spirit; careful that human boldness and confidence may lead to a deep piercing pride in the flesh. In response, restoration erupts; not a needy person was among them. The closest communion witness of our proximity in heart to each other to the Lord Almighty's. An automatic compassion, if compassion would even exist, would react in fullness as we all share that which is given by God to His stewards. Compassion will slowly transform into a recognition of stewardship, an expectation for equality, and therefore a desire for communion, having all in common.

Many of us, just like many in the early church, had not had much to give in terms of possessions. The rich humbled themselves so that there would be closer unity through equality with one another. What can the poor offer to those who have much? It is absolutely reasonable that the poor would offer the most crucial need; prayer in order for the intervention of God. Only those who are poor with not much to give are found much more sufficient in the grace of God, knowing that their power is made perfect in weakness. Now that gets all of us thinking, how often have we kept mindful in the distribution of prayers worldwide to those in desperate need for the intervention of God who do not know God? There is never a lack of role in the call for distribution.

When that day would come, that children of God would conform to God rather than our flesh stricken by the world, true communion will be seen as sparks of glimpses of God's kingdom arises. The call for distribution will be responded to in full obedience.