"Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?" "Yes," she replied, "that was the price." " Acts 5:8
Now that you have read the stories of Sophia and Sapphira, what do you say is the reason for their deaths? Hint: it's in verse 8.
Oh my! Did you have any idea that lying is punishable by death? In our world of "little white lies" that punishment seems harsh and over-the-top, doesn't it.
But, it doesn't stop at the lying. The sin goes deeper. I think it goes straight to the heart of these women. When given the opportunity to come clean, they chose to lie, again. You know the saying, "Oh! what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!" from Mariom, by Sir Walter Scott. These women conspired to deceive and refused to come clean. Even in our modern law, we recognize the difference between something done on the spur of the moment and an act planned in advance. The latter nearly always receives the harshest punishment when proven guilty.
Our author, Liz Curtis Higgs, investigates why these women may have lied; what motivated them to deceive. The fictional story of Sophia gives a hint to one motive: fear. Fear of losing something that could not be replaced (years of hard work, ladder climbing, status), fear of not having enough, fear of not fitting in. What might have been other motives? There are a few other, less sympathetic, motives for sure! Ms. Higgs asks us (in the workbook) to "read Acts 4:36-37 and asks why Barnabas was singled out as the "Son of Encouragement". Now read Acts 5:1-2. What do you think motivated Ananias and Sapphira to give their money to the apostles?" This is an interesting line of inquiry and leads us to more questions: why may have they kept some of the money for themselves? Did they know it was wrong? Did they have any other options if they needed some of the money for themselves? What are some reasons people donate, other than a purely generous spirit? Think in ink and share your thoughts in the comments (click here).
Very closely tied to their deceit is the giving of the profits from the sale of the land. When we read Acts 4:32, we are given the impression that the people in the early church are a very generous group! Ms. Higgs points us to 3 verses that address the virtues of generosity, Psalm 112:5, Proverbs 11:25 and 2 Corinthians 9:13. What are the benefits mentioned in each and how might these verses prevent us from becoming a Sophia or Sapphira? Living in community, especially a faith community, we are called to do good and help those in need. The following verses include some Biblical financial advice: 1 Timothy 6:17-18. Taken together with the verses about generosity, what does this mean for us?
We all learned from a very early age to always tell the truth. But we quickly learn that honesty can sometimes be complicated. There are emotions, fears, and consequences attached to that honesty that might be avoided if we can pull off a "little lie". After all, it's not hurting anyone, really. It is frightening and sobering to think that when we lie to people, we are also lying to God. And He knows it! He knows what's in our hearts - our motives. That's the one big thing I take away from this story!
What is your 'take away'? What did you learn from the examples of Sophia and Sapphira? What lesson will you instill in your children and grandchildren and new believers based on these women's folly?
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
warrior
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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