All Things in Common
I recently had an opportunity to reflect on a reading that illustrates the “contrast society” Jesus talked about, also known as the Kingdom of God.
Those who had been baptized devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Luke gives us a pretty clear picture of life in the early church:
Everyone sells what they have in order to contribute money to those who need it.
The community holds everything in common.
The world of the first Christians—a hard world, like ours—was a world where people are baptized by the thousands, everyone was connected to a common mission, and everyone has enough. Our most common reaction to this is “Yeah, right. That’ll never work.” “That would never work today!” “That’s impossible!” we might say. Remember what the Angel Gabriel says to Mary: Nothing is impossible with God. It is our humanness that makes us say this or that could never happen or will never happen. Most of the time, most of us live lives brimming with possibility. Our cup runneth over. And so I invite you to what a vital spiritual practice: I invite you to see possibility in everything. We might think of the life of the early church, of the gathered community sharing all things in common so everyone has enough…we might think that would be impossible. And yet, consider some other impossible things:
Imagine someone telling you, six month ago, that we needed to shelter in place and radically change our daily activities, even if we’re in perfect health, in order to care for society as a whole. (Not happening, right?)
Consider hearing of a time when physicians and grocery store stock clerks would be heralded in the same breath as vital front-line workers
Imagine a season when musicians who usually play in packed clubs, offer music to their neighbors from their front porch, singing into their kid’s karaoke mic (I have a friend who does that every Saturday night. To me it’s a vision of the kingdom.)
Who are “those who have need”? What do we hold in common with them? What impossible things can God make happen so that everyone has enough? I talk a lot about the unlikelihood of the Kingdom of God. Unlikely for us; not unlikely for God. Here are three questions to think about:
What unlikely thing have you seen that seems possible to you?
What seems impossible to you?
Where have you seen God turn impossible into possible?