now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. and with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. [acts 4:32-33]
we are only as unified as when we are fully obedient to the Holy Spirit. when and how much to give depends entirely on what the Holy Spirit asks of the individual. we see in chapter 5, shortly after this section of acts, that partial obedience has severe consequences when ananias withheld some of the profit from selling his land.
the rest were united in the name of Jesus; that’s what they had in common.
a unified people, in great power, testifies to a consistent message of the resurrection of King Jesus. the people were more important than possessions.
what message are you sending to those around you? is it a united message that puts God first and others next?
~ natalie schmidt