“Pass The Bread, Please”

It’s a mark of spiritual maturity when two people argue and strongly disagree, but still recognize that out of their disagreement something good might be born: a new insight, different and improved process, clearer vision of the present or the future. Disagreements, when wrapped in good will, patience, an effort to understand the other position, will sometimes be life changing moments. So it is with Acts 6 and the conversation about the distribution of daily bread to widows.

Greek speaking followers of Jesus made it known one day that widows in their community were not being treated fairly in the daily distribution of bread. Hebrew speaking widows were getting more than their share. In good church fashion, “the Twelve called a meeting…” Surely they didn’t form a Bread Distribution Committee, write Bylaws and designate a Parliamentarian. No, they conferred, which I choose to mean, they discerned. They talked and prayed through the problem until they came to a consensus conclusion. There must be a better way to distribute bread so that everyone is treated fairly.

And then The Spirit tapped them on their shoulders. “Think bigger! This is not a bread problem; this is an opportunity. This is a moment of spiritual creativity; seeing a problem as an opportunity.” It was then, as they discerned the will and wishes of God in relation to bread distribution, that the light came on. We should examine how we care for people generally, they thought: the sick, the poor, the hungry. How are we responding to the larger, greater need? And the answer came back: we don’t. From that moment, the role of Servant took shape, a particular calling that required, and requires, a tender heart for people, willing hands to help, and basic compassion. In some churches today, the preaching/teaching position is called “Elder” while the serving/caring function is the particular calling of the “Deacon.”

You see, the beauty of this disagreement story is that it taught those followers long ago about the need to discern through a problem to find the Spirit’s answer. Works the same way today. The Spirit drops the seeds of hope and purpose and effective ministry and we trample them down into the hard ground with our assumed routines and responses to human need. But…when we take the time to turn the soil, break up the clods, give the rich earth time to breathe, seeds of new insight and common agreement burst into bloom.

And it all started with bread, with Bread. Isn’t that the truth! All things do.