“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” Acts 8:32-35………………
Ah, I sighed. A perfect fit. Comfy. Not too snug. Not too loose. The kind of sneakers you’d find after trying on plenty of pairs at the local store. The sneakers that are just right for you. But I wasn’t in a store. I was in a hotel room. And after noticing the bottoms of my thrift shop sneaks had come unglued from the front, I was blessed with a sweet, loving and generous friend coming to the rescue. She brought me a couple pair of her sneakers, along with some warm clothes she thought I might be able to use for my move further up north for my ministry work.
It’s not that I didn’t have enough money for a new pair of sneakers, but I try to spend as little as possible to be available to the maximum to the Lord and my ministry work. I try to keep my spending extraordinarily low. So donated sneakers, and clothes, and anything else for that matter, well, it’s all a blessing from the Lord through generous hearts like my friend’s.
As I considered my cozy, comfy, gray and mint green “new” used sneakers, I thought of how different this world would be if those of us with more than we need in our closets, homes, pocketbooks, etc., would love and serve the Lord and others the way He calls us to, and if those of us with too little would humbly let our needs be known and be willing to receive what the Lord wants to provide for us through whom He wants to provide.
How many of us, I wonder, have way more than we need? How many of us if we sought the Lord with humble, loving, and willing hearts would hear Him say that He wants us to give such and such to so and so, and this over there to that person right there, and that extra thing to the person across the street, and this stuff we’re not even using to that homeless family that can’t seem to get back on their feet, and on and on?
The Lord created His followers to love Him and to love others, and in the days when people first gave their lives to Him it was abundantly clear that they came together unified in Christ’s love with hearts ready and willing to share all that the Lord provided for them.
Should we not be doing the exact same? Why not take stock of your heart, and of your belongings, and possessions, and stuff, and pocketbook, and bank account, etc., and see how the Lord might lead you to give to others and to share with a world in need. It’s all His provision anyway, isn’t it? Should we not be thankful for what He has given us and generous in sharing with those He desires receive of His provision through us? Let us not cling to our belongings. Let us cling to the Lord, and be willing to part with anything and everything He by His Spirit leads us to give to others in His name for His glory, Amen!