November 5, 2010

Problems of Family Living
When the Family Just Can’t Get Along

“As the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, 'We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.' . . . . So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.” Acts 6:1-7 (NLT)

It often happens in families that some feel slighted by others, that some are favored over others and jealously and suspicion arises. The bigger a family gets, the more likely this is to happen. God led this early family of Christians to address this problem in the following way:

• The spiritual leaders saw that it was all the more important that they stay grounded in the “Word of God”. They thought it was more important than ever that took responsibility for knowing what God says and then telling this new expanded family how to live it.
• The spiritual leaders saw also that they needed to pray more, not less. They needed God. They couldn’t do without them.
• They delegated responsibility. Not only does everyone need to take responsibility for making a family work, but it is simply true that in a large group of people, things get complicated and life needs organized and administered.

On a side note, I bet Jesus is glad he didn’t have to live to 60 and have to move into the administration of large groups of people!!)

Making a family work is really, really, really hard. But these three actions apparently addressed the situation. The family grew even more!