A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY….What about Sapphira?

As I was reading again the story of Ananias and Sapphira, something stood out to me. I grew up hearing these scriptures with the emphasis on many different things, but as I studied it tonight …..I see how much this story is about Sapphira. It highlights that she knew fully well what her husband was doing wrong and went along with it. In many ways we are taught to go along with what our husbands or other leaders are saying without questioning them. After all they ARE in authority and in other places the Bible instructs us to submit to our authorities. But as we look at this closely, we must understand that it is with conditions. Any authority that leads us down a path against what we know about Christ and His desires and His word is wrong. It is our responsibility to disagree and speak up for what is right. As we look at the following scripture…..notice how God has separated the husband and wife and each had to give an account. Sapphira was given a chance to disagree/disconnect from her husbands sin, but she chose not to and suffered the same consequences. As you read….take notice of the part of the wife in this story….

Acts 5:1-11
 “But there was a man named Ananias (with his wife Sapphira) who sold some property  and brought only part of the money, claiming it was the full price. (His wife had agreed to this deception.)
 But Peter said, “Ananias, Satan has filled your heart. When you claimed this was the full price, you were lying to the Holy Spirit.  The property was yours to sell or not, as you wished. And after selling it, it was yours to decide how much to give. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us, but to God.”
 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor, dead! Everyone was terrified,  and the younger men covered him with a sheet and took him out and buried him.
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  Peter asked her, “Did you people sell your land for such and such a price?”
“Yes,” she replied, “we did.”
 And Peter said, “How could you and your husband even think of doing a thing like this—conspiring together to test the Spirit of God’s ability to know what is going on? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out too.”
 Instantly she fell to the floor, dead, and the young men came in and, seeing that she was dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.  Terror gripped the entire church and all others who heard what had happened.”

I know that in my life I have been guilty of standing by and watching….choosing to do nothing and not speaking up at something I knew was wrong because I justified myself with this thought “ I was not the head of the house or the one in authority so it’s not my problem and I’m not responsible”. But when a leader (spouse or any other leader) tells you to go along with what is against God’s ways…..we are accountable to stand up for what is right or at the very least let it be known that we do not agree. Many things are indeed out of our control and all should be taken to prayer, but I truly believe that we are responsible to God to at least let it be known that we don’t go along with an action that we know is against God’s ways.
Sapphira had a choice and an opportunity to repent and separate herself from her husbands sins. She chose wrong….but God extends to us the same opportunity. We must always remember that Christ is the one we have to give an answer to. It’s something to ponder, and we must remember that whatever we come in agreement with…..we are accountable for that decision.

PRAYER: Lord, help us see with new eyes and understand that You alone are our Lord and who we must give account to. Grant us wisdom to deal with things in a godly manner and to pray for those in authority over us to make godly decisions so that our unity will bring great blessings and not troubles into our lives. Your authority overrules any action and pressure to agree with and to sin against You. Help us to separate ourselves from that which is against your expressed desires and to do it in a way that is as peaceful as possible. Amen