“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and
distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:45, ESV)
Many years ago, I began an engineering and management consulting business. In the beginning everything was coming up roses. Yet after six-months the bottom dropped out. I had no business. The business account went to zero and my personal accounts hit the bottom. It was desperation time. I asked the men of a Friday breakfast to pray that business would come in, which they did. Yet my immediate need was for money to buy groceries for the family.
After the meeting one of the men shook my hand and in it there was a $50 bill. I was a bit embarrassed to take it, but I remembered something that a pastor once told me, “Never withdraw from the hand of one that wants to bless you.” In other words, it would be wrong not to graciously accept a blessing from another person.
In the early church the Holy Spirit was working in the lives of those early parishioners in marvelous ways.
Luke recorded the following about this early church. “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
One way was the way of love, expressed in benevolence. When one had a need, others would give of their own resources to help the one who lacked.
John wrote, “if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:17–18, ESV)
Here we see it is expected of believers that the love of Christ in them is to be poured out to others in a practical way. Now this helping another in the body is not to be done in a legalistic manner but should be a natural outflow of the heart of love. If the heart is not in it, the benevolence loses its sincerity.
This type of loving giving, helps both the giver and the recipient of the gift and promotes spiritual wellness in both. The recipient is encouraged by the gift and should understand that the gift was a provision from the Lord working through the giver to meet the need. This will require the recipient’s humility, a contrite heart.
Yet the recipient is not the only one who is blessed by this act. It is also the giver. The giver is being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit in providing for the need. This too is a healthy exercise that edifies the giver.
Thus, in this way both the one who receives the gift and the giver participate in an exercise that is mutually edifying, promoting spiritual wellness in one another and in the church.
Now, before we leave the subject, we must also recognize that benevolence can include more than just money. John clearly taught us that if we have the world’s goods and the heart of God’s love that we should meet the need by providing the goods necessary. Yet people also have other needs in addition to material goods, people may need comfort, encouragement, help in tasks. It could be mowing someone’s lawn, raking up their leaves, repairing something in their home, or driving them to an appointment or to the store.
Renewing the Heart 