“Tree in the Rock” (Acts 6:1–7)

 

The Problem

“What do you do with a problem?”

Kobi Yamada, in his beautiful children’s book What Do You Do with a Problem?, tells the story of a boy who tries to hide from his problem. At first, he ignores it, wishing it would simply go away. But it doesn’t. In fact, it seems to grow bigger and bigger.

One day, the boy decides to stop running and turns to face the problem. That’s when he discovers something surprising: inside the problem was an opportunity—an opportunity to learn, to grow, to discover something new.

I love that insight. And I love children’s books. They may be written for young readers, but they often hold profound wisdom—like poetry, using few simple words to carry deep truth.

 

The Problem in the Early Church

In today’s scripture, the early church had a serious problem. At that time, the church was made up mainly of two groups: the Aramaic-speaking majority and the Greek-speaking minority. As the church grew, tensions emerged. One of these was about food distribution: the Greek-speaking widows were being neglected in the daily food service. And the Greek-speaking group began to “complain.”

The word translated “complained” (gongysmos) is a strong and unpleasant word. It is the same word used when some of the Israelites murmured and rebelled against Moses in the desert (Ex. 16:7; Num. 14:27). The problem was serious enough to threaten division in the church. But by God’s grace, when they faced and addressed the issue, they became more resilient and more Christlike.

 

Unbusy Christians

How did they grow? First, they learned to be “unbusy” Christians. In the Book of Acts, the devil attacks the church in many ways—first through persecution (by the Jewish religious authorities), then through corruption (Ananias and Sapphira), and now through the most subtle and clever attack—distraction. The enemy tried to make the apostles feel overwhelmed and pulled in every direction.

At the verge of burnout, the apostles discerned their top priority—their calling—and stayed focused on it. Negatively, they knew they were not called primarily to social administration. In verse 2 they said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.” This was not to say that the ministry of the Word was more important than serving food; rather, it meant the apostles’ particular calling was different. In verse 4 they declare, “We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” They knew their limitations, set their priorities, and stuck to them.

Herman Melville, in Moby Dick, describes a moment of furious action: the whaleboat flying over the waves, chasing the great white whale. The crew strains at the oars, muscles tight, sweat pouring, voices shouting over the roar of the sea. And in the middle of all the chaos—one man sits still. The harpooner. He’s not rowing or shouting; he waits calmly, every muscle loose, until the precise moment to stand and throw. Melville writes, “To insure the greatest efficiency in the dart, the harpooners of this world must start to their feet out of idleness, and not out of toil.”

Like harpooners, the apostles knew their role. They stayed ready for the task God had given them. Friends, when problems come, not all of us will have the same role to play—but we all must be focused and poised for the moment God calls us to act. This is why we pray,

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

 

Unnecessary Christians

The early Christians were not only unbusy; they were, in a sense, “unnecessary” Christians. The apostles didn’t try to do everything themselves. They empowered others to serve and lead according to their gifts. In verse 3, they said, “Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task.”

This reminds me of a friend who had an unusual call to ministry—not in church, not at a revival meeting, but while reading… a comic book.

The story was about a 911 rescue hero—an ordinary person living an ordinary life until disaster struck. In that moment, his unique gifts surfaced. He could help. He could serve. He could rescue. But here’s the irony: he was only “useful” when problems arose. If he fixed every problem permanently, he would no longer be needed. And yet, he chose to keep stepping into broken places—again and again—because that was his calling. While reading this, my friend realized that pastor’s calling is much the same: to step into brokenness, to face problems, to help people encounter God personally, and ultimately to work toward the point where you are no longer needed because Christ is fully at work in them.

It is not “I” but Christ who lives in us. Not “I” but “we”—the body of Christ working together. As Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

 

Loving Christians

Finally, the early Christians were loving Christians. When the apostles told the congregation to choose seven leaders for the mercy ministry, they chose Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (v. 5)—all Greek names. The majority of the church spoke Aramaic, yet they chose Greek-speaking leaders so that those most affected could be best served. That’s love.

This reminds me of Korean poet Park No-hae’s The Sin of Gratitude. He reflects on how his gratitude had been too small and self-centered – limited to his own health, his family’s safety, his nation’s peace. He came to see that such gratitude was not enough and was something to repent of. True gratitude grows to rejoice in others’ joy, to embrace others’ suffering, and to share in their pain.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” Love is not love if it stays only within our own circle. The early church widened the circle. And the result? God blessed them: “The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” (v. 7)

 

Tree in the Rock

If we read today’s scripture (Acts 6:1–7) alone, it sounds as if the problem was solved quickly and the church prospered overnight. But in reality—both then and now—growth is slow, often coming through struggle and perseverance.

Today as a church we face many problems and hear anxious voices: “Our church doesn’t have enough people!” “Our denomination is a sinking ship!” “It’s too late to change the tide!” But today’s passage gives us hope.

On vacation, my family and I visited Lost River and Boulder Caves in the White Mountains. There, we saw something astonishing—trees growing out of solid rock. They drew people’s attention. How could they survive there? At the tip of a tree’s root is a growth point that holds a bit of moisture. Where there is moisture, microorganisms multiply. Over years, these tiny organisms break microscopic cracks in the rock, allowing the roots to go deeper. It is said that it takes 100 years for just one inch of moss to grow. Imagine how many centuries it might take for a tree to root and rise tall from solid stone.

There is no quick solution for the church’s struggles. But what if we stopped trying to do everything, set clear priorities, and poured ourselves into God’s kingdom? What if we simply loved and mentored one person near us? What if we looked beyond our own group and became advocates for others?

We may not see the fruit right away. But in God’s time, we will reap a harvest with joy. And people will be drawn—not to us—but to Christ. Like a tree in the rock, God can grow us even in the hardest places. Our God is able. So let us hope in God, and love one person at a time. Amen.