Tuesday: The Mastery of the Economic
WEEK 17
TUESDAY
THE MASTERY OF THE ECONOMIC
Matthew 20:9-16
We come now to discuss the sixth unity, which is so breathtaking that it is embarrassing—the unity in the economic.
This unity is described in these words:
All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. . . . .
The community of believers was one in heart and mind. None of them would say, “This is mine!” about any of their possessions, but held everything in common. . . . There were no needy persons among them. . . . [Proceeds from the sales of properties] was distributed to anyone who was in need. (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35)
When we come to this description of the earliest Christian society, we take a mental vault and skip it, or we explain it away as an interim ethic. Jesus was returning soon, so why keep possessions? They were given away in the light of the near coming of Jesus to set up his kingdom. This is the usual explanation. But that explanation overlooks two facts: one, that the return of Christ is not mentioned in connection with the distribution of goods; the other, that this unity in the economic was the direct outcome of the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is set in the framework of the coming of the Holy Spirit and not in the framework of the coming again of Jesus. It was based on a spiritual experience. They were one in spirit, why not one in the material? Life was held together as a whole. They refused to compartmentalize it. Were they wrong? If so, then it casts doubt on the whole spiritual experience in back of it.
It is possible, however, for them to be fundamentally right and yet wrong in the interpretation and application of that experience. I believe that happened. They were right in seeing that distribution should be according to need. They were wrong in thinking that having all things in common was the method of providing distribution according to need. They were fundamentally right and marginally wrong.
O Lord, help us to see your truth amid irrelevancies. Help us to face your truth, for only your truth can make us free. We need to be free. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I will sift fundamental truth from marginal error, for I would be fundamentally right.