July 1
Bible Reading: Acts 6:1-7
Acts 6:1, “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.”
My friends and I manage a senior meal site here in Heppner, Oregon. Each week, on Tuesdays, we feed about 75 older adults. Though we are in Heppner, we have folks coming to us from all south Morrow County. Imagine what would happen if we showed preference in feeding the Heppner folks and neglected those who came from out of town? There’d be a lot of complaining!
That’s akin to what was happening in the early church as it grew. There were, in the church, individuals from Jerusalem who spoke in Hebrew and were appropriately known as “Hebrews,” and there were those who had been dispersed among the Gentiles and spoke the Greek language. These were called “Hellenists,” from a word meaning “Greek” or “Greek-speaking.” As the church grew, it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage the distribution of food.
The Hellenists complained because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Whether this was on purpose, we are not told, but the situation had the potential to cause much harm. Recall that the church was of “one heart and soul” and shared “everything in common” (Acts 4:32). God had made them one, but a brewing division had the potential to cause much harm. Unremedied, the disagreement could schism the church.
A complaint arose. Sometimes complaints have some underlying legitimacy, often they don’t. Here there was a matter that needed urgent attention, so the twelve acted swiftly. It’s sometimes necessary to bring a matter of concern to someone’s attention, as in this case, but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. The right way is when it’s done in the right spirit, at the right time, to the right person, and for the right motive. To do otherwise is to merely complain, and we know what God thinks about that (Philippians 2:14).
It is impossible to thank God and complain simultaneously. It’s far better to take the right steps to help rectify the concern.
IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST
In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great fellowship of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
In Christ shall true hearts ev’rywhere
their high communion find.
His service is the golden cord
close binding humankind.
Join hands, then, people of the faith,
whate’er your race may be.
All children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north.
All Christly souls are joined as one
throughout the whole wide earth.
LookingtoJesus 