And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47
In my last devotional, I shared about how the early church developed authentic faith by developing authentic relationships based on the above scripture. Another important aspect of authentic relationship, is to have simplicity of heart according to the above scripture. The early believers were individuals who were touched by God in such a profound way, that they had become childlike in faith. They were at awe of this new-found relationship with God which also impacted their earthly relationships. They no longer had to be looked down upon by their religious leaders or feel condemned that they were not good enough. They had found freedom, and they had found gladness to share the joy with each other.
A critical aspect of authentic fellowship is to let go of ranking in relationships. Sometimes hierarchy is outward because of certain roles in society, but sometimes it is just an attitude because one may feel superior to others because of their education, wealth, experience, or title. While hierarchy has a purpose in every organization, one must be careful not to hide behind it as a source of security or identity. The Pharisees enjoyed both the inward and the outward ranking which made them feel more important than others, but it kept them at a distance from the average person. When Jesus entered the world, He completely reversed this. He came with a lowly spirit willing to serve people.
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-7
Jesus lowered himself and took on our humanity. He chose to identify with humanity to the point that most did not recognize him as someone special. While He was the most anointed person walking on the face of the earth, many saw Him just as a carpenter’s son. He was not concerned about His reputation before man because His relationship with God was intact. He chose to serve humanity rather than rule them. Furthermore, his disciples were continually focused on who was the greatest among them, but Jesus never fed their carnal cravings. He taught them that the way to greatness was through humility and serving others.
Are we simple in the way we relate to others? Can we put our crowns down and make ourselves of no reputation before others? Are we comfortable to relate to others as our brothers and sisters in Christ and serve them? Do we think of ourselves better than others?Are people willing to make themselves vulnerable to you?
These worldly barriers masquerade as a mask of importance but keep us at distance from each other. If we desire authentic relationships, we need to be willing to relate to others as Jesus did. Simplicity of heart and humility open the door for authentic and life giving relationships.
photo taken from iosh.co.uk