The Hive
This week is on Acts 6:1-7:
Being God's representatives on earth is a complicated business. The first disciples realized that they were trying to do everything themselves, and were falling short. They prayed and dedicated the best men they could find to do the rest, and everything flourished. It wasn't an admission of failure. There were no promotions or demotions. It was just an admission that a few people can't do all the work, and that God has a use for everyone.
It was also a demonstration that God doesn't always require us to do everything. His burden is light and his yoke is easy. Sometimes it's even simple. The result was that everyone was happy, the word of God spread, and the number of workers increased. Just like God created specialization amongst insects to make the sweet honey, his work often requires us to share the work with each other for his glory to be manifested.
If you're holding onto doing things, or resentful of others for not picking up your vision, maybe they're the guys destined to wait tables and you're the guys destined to be apostles. Seeing things from God's perspective, the big picture, will help you to let go and share, or to pick up part of the load that someone else has been struggling under. It's not right to neglect one thing to do the other, but if everyone pitches in, it all gets done.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Being God's representatives on earth is a complicated business. The first disciples realized that they were trying to do everything themselves, and were falling short. They prayed and dedicated the best men they could find to do the rest, and everything flourished. It wasn't an admission of failure. There were no promotions or demotions. It was just an admission that a few people can't do all the work, and that God has a use for everyone.
It was also a demonstration that God doesn't always require us to do everything. His burden is light and his yoke is easy. Sometimes it's even simple. The result was that everyone was happy, the word of God spread, and the number of workers increased. Just like God created specialization amongst insects to make the sweet honey, his work often requires us to share the work with each other for his glory to be manifested.
If you're holding onto doing things, or resentful of others for not picking up your vision, maybe they're the guys destined to wait tables and you're the guys destined to be apostles. Seeing things from God's perspective, the big picture, will help you to let go and share, or to pick up part of the load that someone else has been struggling under. It's not right to neglect one thing to do the other, but if everyone pitches in, it all gets done.
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