Community

I started reading about the day of Pentecost today in Acts. It's a powerful chapter, with so much in it. I think I'm going to re-read it piece by piece this week, but the last few verses are what really made my heart ache today:

"All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Acts 2: 44-47

I think this must have been like a little taste of heaven. The simplicity of the relationships between early Christians is beautiful. I thought about how hard it would be to do this today.

I mean, forget about just selling all of the stuff we are addicted to: our computers, cell phones, etc. Think about what it would take to have a community where people ate together with glad and sincere hearts!

How often do we smile at someone at church, share in some small talk, but deep down we are hiding resentment against them? We let our relationships get so complicated these days. Why can't we sit down and talk about our conflicts openly, and then rejoice in the fact that we are all saved by grace? Why do we have to hide behind a polite smile? How could that possibly be the "right" thing to do?

How could the church have gone from an open, honest place where everyone was loved to a place where people experience fear of rejection and judgment?

Now I need to practice what I preach... I guess this means I have to start being open with people about my own struggles. It means I have to actually work up the courage to tell someone when I have an issue with them. For anyone who knows me, I'd rather just be pleasant, but the truth is, pretense isn't really pleasant.