Acts 6

It’s funny how the little things can drag us down. A simple argument, that must not have amounted to much given the ease with which it was solved, threatened to effectively halt the spread of the gospel. Rather than the praying and preaching, the apostles were called on to serve food. It seemed simple, I’m sure to those making the request. Some of the widows were being overlooked, and no one wanted the widows to be overlooked. It almost seems like the right thing for the apostles to do; take care of the widows. Didn’t Jesus command something like that at one point?

Thankfully, the apostles were wise enough to see the big picture and realize that they were not commanded to focus their ministry internally. They found seven that were focused on that, and delegated the task to them. Problem solved. Now the apostles could focus on proselytizing and the seven could focus on internal relationships. The first real example of how the Body of Christ is supposed to work.

Be careful here, though, and recognize that the apostles didn’t delegate this task simply because they didn’t want to do it or because it was “beneath them.” They delegated because it wasn’t their calling. Had it been the other way around; for instance, had the apostles delegated the preaching and taken on the task of ministering to the widows, failure would have ensued.

As things happened, Stephen, is pulled out as an example of how a single person put into the right role can both minister internally and externally. He’s assigned to be one of the seven, and later we see that he is out among the people performing miracles and he is able to stand his ground against the religious leaders. Being in the correct position in the body provides encouragement and strength for you and your fellow believers. Would Stephen have been so effective if he did not see how he fit with the Body?