Read Acts 4 and we’ll see many common traits among those early Christians. Courage to act and courage to speak. Radiance that comes from being with Jesus. Obedience. Praise and Prayer and Power.
We often see those same traits exhibited in those with whom we fellowship. Those marks of the Christian are to be highly appreciated and desired.
There is another trait in Acts 4 that is often more elusive. It comes at the end of the chapter. “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.” [vs32-37]
Unity in Christ. You would think it would be so easy, after all we are the Body of Christ, we are all attached to the same Head. But history as well as current experience has given testimony to the fact that Unity is often the one thing missing among us.
Too often we think that uniformity is what God desires, that everyone should be like us, talk like us, think like us, act like us. And if they don’t, they certainly cannot claim fellowship with Christ. That is definitely not so.
When we compare ourselves to each other, we get in real trouble. Comparisons always need to be aimed in a different direction, straight up, not side to side. I can always find someone who is worse than me, and ignore those who are better, but when I compare myself with my Master and see how far I still have to go, then I realize I don’t have the time to be condemning others for their walk, I’ve got too much to do about me!
