the    sides

This is part of a e-vo series through the New Testament book of Acts. Today is from Acts 6.

“We are growing but not making budget.”

“We are growing but we don’t have the volunteers we need.”

“We are growing but we don’t have the leaders to maintain the infrastructure.”

“We are growing and it’s causing our staff to run around like chickens without heads.”

“We are growing but we are forgetting to take care of the widows.”

Some things never change. As any organization grows, ‘opportunities’ will raise their heads. (A code word for problems.) Our early church brothers were no different. As the church was growing and flourishing, a group of folks were falling through the cracks - Hellenistic widows. What to do?

Pick out some qualified men to serve these woman - to make sure that their needs were being met. Simple. Direct. Pragmatic. Right?

If it were only that easy. It says that ‘hard feelings’ had developed between two groups inside the church. How long did this percolate before the Twelve were brought into the circle? At first, did the Twelve blow it off because they thought it was so simple to fix that anyone could fix it? When did the Twelve finally realize that what they had on their hands wasn’t ‘feeding the widows’ problem but a leadership problem?

What’s bothersome about the passage is that this problem got elevated to the Twelve. Are you telling me there wasn’t someone wise enough to figure out this solution BEFORE it escalated into an emotional, potentially divisive issue? Apparently the answer is yes. And truthfully - this stuff still goes on.

I’ve sat around enough committees and other decision making groups to see the dynamic at work. Someone will have keen insight into the problem - why this is a problem, how this problem developed, whose fault the problem is, and what will be the ultimate result if the problem goes unsolved. I used to think that person was smart and wise and insightful.

I was wrong. That person is just a complainer. What takes true leadership and maturity is the courage to try solutions that are redeemable and workable regardless of the cost - to ego or to position. Every individual who complained about the problem of the widows without further pushing for a redeemable solution was just adding to the problem. That’s where the hard-feelings develop. I think most people don’t get that sitting around figuring out problems without figuring out solutions just leads to bitterness.

In essence, the Twelve’s solution was to put it back on the people - “You pick out guys who you trust and know that have God’s character. Let them solve it.” That did a couple of things. First, it addressed directly the issue at hand - getting widows food. But it also gave them a template for ministry. See a need, meet it. That’s what people with the character of God do.