34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Some believe this verse supports a government redistribution of wealth. They hear in these verses the justification for taking wealth and giving it to the poor. Nothing could be further from the truth. These verses show the compassion of individuals who have come to faith in Jesus. That faith has radically changed them and they now recognize the needs of their poor neighbors. They have the means to make a difference in their lives, so they take steps, personal steps to make a difference. They don’t try to institute a change in government policy with respect to the poor. They simply do something themselves. If everyone who had wealth simply had a change of heart as these people did, the needs of the poor would be met. Notice that these verses do not say that they sold everything they had so that they become poor as well. They took some of their assets and sold them and surrendered the proceeds to the apostles for them to distribute. This kind of giving requires an individual change of heart. There are those in power today who want to take from the rich and give to the poor. But when you look at their personal giving record, they have done a very poor job of living out wealth redistribution. They possess millions, but only give thousands. They had the opportunity to make a personal difference in the lives of many, but they chose to hoard wealth instead. And what they were unwilling to do personally, they now want to impose on everyone else. This is the height of hypocrisy. The two examples that follow in the text highlight the difference. The first man simply gives. The second hides a portion and pretends to give it all. He is trying to impress. He wants people to think he is doing something great for others. God gets the final word with him.
The Arnold Journey 