Let’s start with a reflection question. Is prayer my last resort or is it my starting point?

We read about the early church in the book of Acts. One of the things that always stands out to me is in Acts 4:32-36. These verses tell of the early church sharing their possessions and there being no needy person among them. Reading this description of the early church is really cool and gets me fired up, but am I the only one who gets a little nervous reading this? Then, because it makes me a little nervous, I begin to feel guilty and even a little bit shameful.

I feel that way because in my flesh, I am selfish. I get nervous thinking about giving away my possessions. What if I don’t have enough? I begin asking myself these questions and realize just how much I tend to operate from a mindset of scarcity. In an effort of being transparent, I would even say that there have been times that I found myself regretting a generous decision. How messed up is that? So, how in the world am I supposed to follow the example of the early church? Well, verse 31 gives us the starting point, “After they prayed.” Acts 4:31 tells us that a few things happened after they prayed:

1. The place they were meeting was shaken.

2. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.

3. They spoke the word of God boldly.

I have heard it before, but I am so guilty of not taking it to heart. There is power in prayer!

The next 5 verses, (32-37) describe the generosity of the early church. V. 32 begins by pointing out the unity that was experienced, saying that “all the believers were one in heart and mind.” It is no coincidence that this comes “After they prayed.”

How was the early church able to practice such radical generosity? They were led by the Spirit. Here is what this passage revealed to me. When I get nervous about being generous, or even sometimes when I am generous, it stems from being led by my flesh, it comes from an attitude of “well this is what I am supposed to do.” My generosity can so often be very transactional, oftentimes EXPECTING to be blessed in return. Too many times my generosity has come out of obligation to what I felt was a duty and not an overflow of the work of the Holy Spirit inside me.

I see in this passage that these believers we read about in the early church were so led by the Holy Spirit, they were able to maintain a proper perspective on their belongings and possessions. They recognized that what they had -- their possessions -- were gifts from God and that we are to be good stewards of what He has given us!

I think it is time I change my starting point. May my starting point begin in a posture of prayer. May the first line that describes my family's generosity begin with “After they prayed.”

Reflection:

• Is prayer typically your starting point or your last line of defense?

Family Application: Acts 4:31-37

Parents: Take some time to re-read this passage on your own - Acts 4:31-37. We are going to break down a couple of the verses in this passage and provide some talking points for conversation while you're riding down the road in your car, sitting around the dinner table, or at bedtime. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31

Do you ever pray for your kids to be bold? For them to stand for and speak God’s word boldly? If not, don’t be ashamed. It’s possible that you have never thought about it. But, what a great prayer to begin praying for our kids! Boldness requires courage for us to press on through our fears and do what we know is right. Just like the believers in Acts, pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage. Pray and look for opportunities in your family to talk about Christ.

“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” Acts 4:32

The early church was able to share possessions and property as a result of the unity brought by the Holy Spirit working in and through their lives. They were able to recognize that they were stewards (managers) of their possessions, and they shared time with others to meet the needs of fellow believers. Does this happen in our homes? The first place we learn to share what we have is in our homes. 

• A simple and very practical next step is to clean out closets at the start of a new season (fall, winter, spring) and donate the clothes that our kids have outgrown. Make sure to include your kids in this. As a parent, it is so much easier to just do it ourselves, but it is so valuable and powerful to include our kids! It is worth it!
• Prayer: Dear God, we pray for the courage to speak Your word boldly, individually, and as a family. Help us to be willing to share our possessions to meet the needs of those around us.