Addressing The Need

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. (Acts 2:44-45 NASB)

I assumed that the commune movement of the 60's and 70's in the United States was a new idea born out of the philosophical ideas of the times.  I was wrong.  This sort of thing has been going on since Civil War days, (technically before if you consider colonies in this light), and only received revived attention during the 60's and 70's.  They're still around, and one actually exists in the City of Chicago, born out of the Jesus Movement of the 70's.

The idea is not really a comfortable one for the sort of Americans I was raised by and around.  It goes against the idea that you own what you work to earn or gain or make.  But I grudgingly have to admit that the idea has much in line with Scripture.  I'm not comfortable considering the things I have worked to accumulate and "systems" I have setup to be the property of my "group".  I want to care for them, and I like them the way I have them.  I'm wrestling with the idea that this creates idols out of my "stuff".

I have always comforted myself in my life with my Master by saying out loud that all I have I have from my Master.  Easy to say, because I still have it.  I have learned over the years to then claim that I am merely the steward of these things, not the owner.  That is easy to say, but difficult to live out.  How available is my "stuff" to others?  The practice in Acts 2 is very different than my practice.

I have been taught that the majority of the 3000 souls added to the church on Pentecost were from out of town.  If that were true, there would be a large displacement of people to accommodate in Jerusalem.  This communal answer may have been a response to a very real and pressing need.  On the other hand, it reflects and attitude that whatever was possessed was available to everyone else in the group.  Regardless of how the idea came about, the attitude that made it possible is really what I'm after.

What would it be like if I considered my home computer network available to my church for whatever need they had?  What would it look like if my truck were available to anyone who had need of it?  How about our motor home? Utility Trailer?  What if someone really needed a vacation and wanted to go kayaking, would our kayaks be available or would they stay hanging from the rafters?  I have a lot of stuff.  I look at others, and I see some have more.  But I don't answer for how much I have, rather I answer for how I've used what I have.  One of the attitudes or principles that my Master considers important is how available this stuff is to His use in His Kingdom.  He wants to see that the things He has provided are available for Him to use for His purposes.

While my wife and I each struggle with this issue, we do so differently.  I am willing to share parts she is not, and she's willing to share parts I am not, and there are parts we both are willing to share.  Together we make one good believer.  Over all, we're willing to share what we have with others.  That sound pretty good doesn't it?  We're willing to share, but are we willing to relinquish?  The way the attitude of the people in this new mega-church responded was to sell off possessions and give the proceeds to those in need, whoever was in need, as much as they needed.  This takes "availability" to new levels for me.

I'm not sure that I would be willing to do that.  It hasn't been asked of me, but what if it is?  What if the only way I can meet a need is to sell something I like.  On a smaller scale, what if I cancelled my TV service and used the cost I've been paying to contribute more to those in need?  That's not something I own per se, but a service I enjoy and on which I spend a lot of money.  So, that might be someplace to start.  But what those kayaks?  What about the motor home?  Would I be willing (or able to talk my wife into) selling those and contributing the proceeds to the church for those in need?  What if the church itself is in need?  Isn't that "us" enough that we would consider that a need to sell and contribute toward?

The problem I see here is the required shift in my attitude and my view of my stuff.  It would need to be softened way beyond stewardship to "warehouse management".  It is hard for me to envision that what I have I merely hold on to so that it's available to those who might have need, in whatever way they may have that need.  I spent money on it, money I earned by working.  I have had use of these things, and want to continue using them.  So, seeing them as available to others, and really owned by the group rather than myself is a difficult mental shift to make.  But I'm wrestling with seeing any other alternative.  On this, I think I may wrestle some more.  This is a difficult thing to wrap my mind around.  Conceptually I see it, but the practice is wreaking havoc in my mind.  I clearly have more growing to do.