Peter

November 10

Acts 6:1-7

Staying focused

The believers were kind to the poor and needy. Every day they handed out food to widows who didn’t have enough to live on. Everything was going well until some widows complained that they were not getting food like the others were. So the apostles got together to see how they could sort out this problem.

“It wouldn’t be right for us to get involved in checking that each widow gets her fair share,” they said. “If we did that, we wouldn’t have time to preach. We should rather choose seven wise men that are filled with the Holy Spirit and give them the task of handing out food. Then the rest of us can get on with praying and with preaching the Word of God.”

Everyone was happy with the idea. So they chose seven men and prayed for them as they started their work among the poor.

What is the most important job of the Church?

It would be silly if a team of hockey players got so involved with choosing team colors, displaying trophies, and raising funds, that they didn’t have time to practice or play a match.

In the same way, there are many activities happening in the Church. Most of these are good, and—like the feeding program—are blessed by God. However, the apostles realized that they shouldn’t get so caught up in running these programs that they wouldn’t have time to do what they were supposed to.

The last thing that Jesus said to them was; “Go all over the world and make disciples; teaching them all that I have told you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Telling others about Jesus is still the most important task of the Church, yet each of us can reach someone in a special way when we do the task that God has called us to do!

Verse for today

 “…You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8