When we read the story of the New Testament Church, we might get caught up in the excitement of its explosive growth and amazing miracles. But here’s a part of the story we shouldn’t miss: ‘No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had…There were no needy persons among them…those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money…and it was distributed to anyone who had need’ (v.32-35 NIV).

It’s easy to think we’d be happier if we had more money. It’s true that money can give us security, and having plenty of money would probably kill off quite a number of worries too. But it wouldn't necessarily make us feel happier. In the Journal of Happiness Studies, researchers looked at what made quite happy people different from less happy people. They found that there was one thing that consistently separated those two groups: meaningful connections with other people. It’s not about how much money we have; it’s not about our health, security, attractiveness, IQ, career, or success. What seems to distinguish consistently happy people from less happy people is having rich, deep, joy-producing, life-changing relationships in their lives.

That doesn't mean we have to have lots of friends to be happy. We can know a lot of people and still be lonely because we're not connecting with any of them in any really meaningful way. But the people in the New Testament Church got it right: it’s in sharing with each other spiritually, emotionally, financially, and relationally that we discover high levels of joy.

What Now?

Look for opportunities to share things with others. It doesn’t have to be possessions or money – think about sharing your time, or knowledge, or a skill. How many times can you share something today?