Reflection for December 17,2014

"Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common."(Acts 4:32)

Often in political discussions I will hear calls for a return to the Judeo-Christian values that our country is founded on.  And if folks are really on a role they will want biblical norms to become the way we live our lives, or at least others who we don't approve of should lead theirs.

Of course what is going on is selective biblical application.  Most of us do this in one form or another.  But I always want to raise verses like this as examples to those who claim to lead a biblically based life, soley resting on God's word.

Really, you've sold all your possessions and hold them in common with others?  Sounds an awful lot like Communism.  Is that how you live?  Probably not.  Pretty rare in this country where capitalism and private ownership of things is almost more important than any biblical principles.

I'm not advocating for a return to this model.  As someone who firmly believes that we should always ask historical questions, it is clear that a small group of people can pull this off.    But they have to consent to it and be of one heart and soul.  I'm not even completely convinced that this is possible.

But I do wonder how much are possessions lay a claim on us.  Often blinding us to the needs of others.  And the more we accumulate the blinder we become. Perhaps in those times that we are blessed well beyond our needs, not necessarily beyond our wants, that we take the "spirit" of this passage rather than the literal of it to heart.

Blessings,
Ed