Showing God’s Goodness

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Acts 2:44-45 (NIV)

Does your generosity and gracious attitude draw the world to Jesus?

The Book of Acts provides a picture of how the earliest Christians lived. In it, we see how a small group of approximately 130 believers grew into the global community we now call the Church – the Body of Christ. 

However, the early Church had no political influence, military power, buildings or property, and very few financial resources. Plus, its members were ostracized, tortured, imprisoned, or even killed. All odds seemed stacked against its growth. Yet somehow, more and more people became followers of Jesus. 

Why is that? And what can we learn from this rich spiritual heritage? While Christianity didn’t have many of the strengths that we might consider important to fuel its growth, it did have two qualities that worked like gasoline on fire: unity and generosity.

The early believers were both gracious and generous to one another. In terms of wealth, they had little but gave big. In terms of unity, they lived together, accepting and embracing their differences. These people believed everything came from the goodness of God – and they wanted to show God’s goodness to others. 

The ancient world could not understand loving generosity, hospitality to strangers, and a message of unity and equal value of people in a harsh society of inequality. The world heard the message of the gospel through the generosity and grace of the people of God.  

So what can you learn from their example? If your heartbeat as an individual is to show others the goodness of God, then the collective heartbeat of the Church will grow. When you become more generous and gracious, the world will begin to recognize the church as more gracious and generous. 

This doesn’t mean that Christianity won’t still be criticized, just as it was in the early church. You can expect opposition. But you can also expect to see more and more people come to know Jesus despite criticism and opposition.

Let your heartbeat be to show others the goodness of God. Instead of wanting to be right, heard, or even understood, let your grace and generosity draw the world to Jesus.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank You for the generosity and gracious heart of the early church. It changed the world then and I believe it changes the world now. Please change me until my greatest desire is to show others Your goodness, including those with whom I disagree. In Jesus’ name, amen.