Daily Lesson for August 13, 2014

Today's daily lesson comes from Acts chapter 6 verse 1:

"Now in those days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of bread."

In the early days of the church there was rapid growth and the needs of the community overwhelmed the disciples' abilities to keep up. Balls got dropped and real human needs got neglected. There were complaints that one group within the church was being passed over for another. The inadequacies of the disciples threatened to undermine the whole community.

We can learn a lot from the disciples response. They didn't make excuses; they didn't try to justify or explain things. They probably apologized first then they tried to figure out a solution. They came up with the ministry of deacons.

Three things to take home from that:

1) Limitations are a reality and have to be acknowledged 

2) Necessity really is the mother of invention

3) The complaint department window ought to be open and staffed with a friendly face and a willing ear