On a hot summer day in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago, an extraordinary event unfolded that would set in motion a seismic shift in humanity. People from diverse cultures and backgrounds who only moments before were strangers suddenly found common ground. Through a shared experience, barriers that once divided suddenly crumbled. But what sparked this radical change and brought such a disparate group together? The answer lies in a message that challenged conventional wisdom and revealed a new vision of community where the interests of others come before one’s own.
- People from various lands and cultures came together in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and heard the Apostle Peter preach the gospel in their own languages.
- Those who believed were baptized and devoted themselves to learning from the Apostles, breaking bread together, and praying.
- The early believers lived in community, sharing possessions to help those in need since many had stayed in Jerusalem longer than planned.
- What happened in Jerusalem changed the world, as the believers accepted one another regardless of differences, viewed life as helping not competing with others, shared freely what they had, and paid attention to people.
The early Christians discovered that when we focus on lifting each other up, the tide lifts all boats. By pooling resources and talents rather than hoarding them, they found novel ways to support one another and unleash untapped potential. While the self-interested model pits us against each other in a zero-sum game where someone else’s gain comes at our expense, they embraced an interdependent ethos where we all rise together. In an age with so much potential to further divide, we could learn from their example. By making each other’s burdens lighter and dreams brighter, perhaps we can achieve great things no single person could accomplish alone. A little goodwill goes a long way – what future might we forge if we sought to understand before being understood?