Everyone Was Pleased

Scripture – Acts 6:5-7: ⁵This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ⁶They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. ⁷So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Reflection: – The proposal pleased the whole group! In the church, on our best days, that’s the way it works. A problem is recognized. There’s no blaming anyone. We all work together to find the Lord’s solution. Everyone is pleased when that happens.

So seven men were chosen to carry on this new ministry in the church. As a result, “the word of God spread.” The number of disciples grew. Because people shared a common commitment to serve Christ, the church became stronger each day.

I have to remind myself of that from time to time. Sometimes I let my own ego or agenda get in the way. There’s no competition in the church. We each find our place of service and let ourselves be used as Christ wants. He’ll take care of growth and numbers and all that other stuff.

How are you with that? How do you balance your ego with the wisdom of the wider community of faith?