Service and Generosity of Believers

The Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. . . 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.

Acts 6:1,3

“I just can’t believe how many broken people are in my congregation.” That’s how one pastor evaluated the people under his care. Yes, some areas of the world or some congregations may seem more broken than others. But the fact that people are broken shouldn’t be surprising. Ever since sin entered, the perfect world that God designed has been broken. There are bad relationships. There is physical pain. There is hard work. There is death.

Early Christian congregations experienced the same. Relationships were strained. There was hunger and stress. And there was death. In a world void of social security or life insurance policies, this brought a whole new level of brokenness. For example, how would a widow pick up the pieces of her broken heart and her broken home to provide for those under her roof?

Maybe you’re in the same boat. Are you broken? Did you lose a loved one? Do you not know where your next meal will come from or how that medical bill will be paid? Jesus said he came into this world to heal those who were broken. While his primary purpose was to heal our spiritual brokenness through his perfect life and death on the cross, he also demonstrated his care for physically broken people. That hasn’t changed now that he has ascended into heaven. Jesus still fixes and helps the broken as he continues to provide for his people. One of the ways he extends his hands is through the hands of others. The early church realized this as they assigned capable people the responsibility of caring for the widows in their midst. Today, God continues to work through his people. Through the service and generosity of others, thank God that our ascended Lord helps us overcome a broken world. And who knows, maybe it will be your hands that God uses to help fix another person’s life.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 695)

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of your love. Amen.