Shared Resources

What does it mean to have shared resources?

From his first miracle at the wedding at Cana, to the miracles of the loaves and the fishes, to his teachings about lilies and sparrows and treasure, to the Spirit of communion breathed into the early church at Pentecost, Jesus has been proclaiming to us the good news that there is enough, more than enough, for us all.  What's more, he tells us again and again that we are enough, beyond enough, precious and priceless.  

It is only when we come to know this truth about ourselves--our sufficiency, our preciousness, our pricelessness--that the false promises of power and privilege and White supremacy will cease to deceive and distort and devour us, leaving us with an emptiness inside that no amount of any thing will ever fill. It is only when we come to know this truth about ourselves--our sufficiency, our preciousness, our pricelessness--that we can come to recognize those same truths in our fellow beings, and know that we are all enough and deserving of all good things, and that a life of joy and abundance and meaning is our common birthright if we will but choose it. 

"Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met."

Acts 2:43-45

"The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, 'That’s mine; you can’t have it.' They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them."

Mark 4:32-33

Image credit: Ввласенко / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

"I see love very much like a coin, with one side being 'compassion' and the other 'loving kindness.' 'Compassion' is the desire to prevent pain, while 'loving kindness' is the desire to promote happiness." 

--Anne Firth Murray


Image credit: GO69 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 )

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. "

John 10:10




Image credit:Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada / CC BY-SA(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 )