Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. -- Acts 6:3 (KJV)
The church in Jerusalem is growing, and a complaint arrives with the growth. The Grecian believers say their widows are being neglected in the daily ministration. Luke calls it a murmuring. The women going without all belong to one group.
The twelve take it seriously. They call the multitude of the disciples together and say two things. They will not leave the word of God to serve tables. The tables still have to be served, so the disciples are to look out seven men who can be appointed over this business.
What the Table Required
The seven must be of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom. The list does not mention experience with food or money. Feeding widows fairly, when one group already believes it has been slighted, will take truthfulness, sound judgment, and the Spirit of God.
The multitude does the choosing. Stephen is named first, "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," and Philip second. The men are set before the apostles, who pray and lay their hands on them. All of that prayer is for seven people whose assignment is to see that the food reaches every widow.
Both Kept
The apostles do not sort the church's work into a holy part and a chore. They give themselves "continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word," and that stays theirs. The daily ministration goes to the seven and receives the same seriousness. Neither is dropped to make room for the other.
Luke then reports that the word of God increased, that the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and that a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Some of what you do today will look like table work: a schedule to keep, a bill to sort out, a ride for someone who cannot drive. It is easy to bring prayer to the Bible lesson and habit to everything else. Where are you serving on skill alone, without asking God for wisdom or for the help of His Spirit?
Philip's name is second on that list of seven. Tomorrow's reading finds him far from the table, in a city of Samaria.
