have for one another.”32 The physical care presented in Acts 6 demonstrates that kind of Christlike love. Behind the physical care lies a second aspect of a deacon’s work, one which benefits not just those in need but the whole body also: deacons must strive for the unity of the body. By caring for these widows, the deacons helped make the food distribution among the widows more equitable. This was important because the physical neglect was causing a spiritual disunity in the body (Acts 6:1). One
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