Sunday, June 26, 2011

Sunday reading: Apostolic "footnote"

Struggles with internal politics and leadership decisions relative to legitimacy and clearly respected lines of authority dominated at least a part of the ministry of the Apostle Paul. 

Paul reports some of the background of the early church's process for working out these issues in Galatians 2:1-14. 

What causes me pause whenever I read of these internal wranglings over order, authority and power is this one sentence that describes a fundamental, inviolate truth that all leaders were required to follow in those early days:

"They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do" (Gal.2:10).

1 comment:

foodforthought said...

that truth is one of the most important as it brings so many others with it. remembering the poor implies empathy for them, an effort to help them, and instills a sense of community in the places where the poor are actually remembered. in our day, it is growing more difficult to remember the poor even though their numbers are increasing. i feel like too many are getting distracted from our destitute (unfortunately most of my reference is aimed at those who wield the most power {except God} over the circumstance). great post and thanks for sharing. may God bless you.

alex
http://curiousmang.blogspot.com/2011/06/bad-big-businesses-going-good.html