Acts 4:34-5:6 - Being authentic
Scripture:
Acts 4:34-5:6
34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales
35 and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),
37 and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
4 "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
NASU
NASU
Thoughts:
It seems odd that people want to make themselves appear more spiritual than they really are. When you consider that true spiritual maturity involves deep humility and the utmost integrity, it's all the more ironic. Their actions demonstrate that they do not even understand what maturity really is!
And even more so, it is perplexing that Ananias would do this at a time that the church really didn't have much too offer, materially. If he had been successful, he might have "looked good" to the church, but there would have been no tangible benefit to himself. But then again, sin makes a fool out of all of us.
For Ananias, it seems unlikely that he was a Christian, at all. He may well have just been posing as a Christian. But what about those of us who are Christians? We too can be tempted to try and play up our spirituality. To say the right things though we don't mean them, or pretend that we are doing the right things, so that others will think highly of us. Even appearing to copy the actions of someone else in the church as Ananias did here. And like Ananias, we may not receive any material gain for it (or might), but merely just have our pride satisfied, at least momentarily. We may even simply have the satisfaction of feeling like we are something we are not, if only for a few moments.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for how You've made me, and are still making me. Let me always remember a molded piece of pottery has no reason to be proud of how it's made, and neither do I.
And let me always be content to be who I am, and not to play to an audience, trying to take on whatever characteristic they desire or think they see in me.
Lord, just let me be authentic with people, myself, and You. Don't let pride and/or a desire to please others control me.
Thank You, Lord.
Amen
<< Home