Read: Acts 4:32-37
And no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (v. 32)
What would it be like to share everything in common? It’s difficult to imagine offering up all of our money and possessions—and therefore all of our comfort and security—to the broader community.
Amidst all the newness of Christianity, why did the early church feel the need to engage in a new economic system? And why take the time and space to write about it in the book of Acts? The key lies in the practice of Communion. The sharing of Communion is our way of receiving the life of Christ into our lives. Through receiving the body of Christ, we are bound together with the other members of the body.
As is the case anywhere, some of the early Christians in Jerusalem were quite wealthy. Others had very little. How could the early Christians say they were truly acting as the body of Christ to one another if some were overfed while others went hungry? Sharing everything in common was a way of taking care of all. People freely gave what they had, and trusted they would receive what they needed.
Today with the early Christians, we learn that our life with Jesus challenges individualist ways of thinking about possessions, and invites us into a life based in generosity, gift, and trust. —Amy Curran
As you pray, ask the Spirit to open your imagination to new ways of giving and receiving.
About the Author
Amy Curran is a gardener, a reader, a runner, and an avid coffee drinker. She lives in Durham, North Carolina, where she runs a community garden and a farm-to-table café for Reality Ministries.
