Have you ever told someone you did a certain thing, but you knew in your heart that you didn’t? While you may have looked good on the outside and kept up appearances, there was a different reality that you tried to cover up.
In our reading for today, Acts 4:32-5:11, Ananias and his wife Sapphira held back a portion of the money they received from selling a piece of property. The problem wasn’t that they kept some of the money for themselves but that they wanted others to think that they were more generous than they actually were by telling them that they had given the full amount. They were more worried about appearances (“look at us”) than what God thought.
Sometimes we do the same when it comes to our lives of faith. Maybe we’ve embellished a story to appear more spiritual or generous, but lack in action or failed to correct a misconception in order to keep up appearances.
Instead of holding back, what would it mean to be all in?
