Acts 6:1-6. As the early disciples are increasing in number, the Greek disciples begin complaining that their widows are not being given as much in the daily distribution as the Hebrew widows. The apostles realize that they cannot effectively do everything in this new Church, so they summon all of the people together and tell them to pick seven men of good repute, filled with the Holy Spirit, who they will appoint to duties such as this. The people select seven men, including Stephen, "a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit," and the apostles lay hands on them.

Thus we get the first deacons, men who are devoted to the faith, anointed by the bishops, and who assist the Church by fulfilling the more down-to-earth, daily duties that must be done to keep the Church running smoothly and the people in unity. I love that God is so orderly! He sets up hierarchies because he knows that that is the best way for humans to function. I used to bristle at words such as those in Paul's letters that indicate that wives must be subordinate to their husbands, but as I grow in the faith and see how God's order really works, I see what is intended by this. Not that wives are lesser people to their husbands in any way, just as the deacons are not lesser men to the priests or bishops, but just that someone has to be in charge! In each unit of society, there has to be someone with the final say, and people must be willing to obey that person or society will fall apart. In Christianity, the people in charge, such as the apostles, the husbands, even the Pope, are also people who are pursuing Christ wholeheartedly, so everyone should have the same goal and orderliness will ensue from obedience.

It obviously does not always play out like this, and there can be people in charge who are just not pursuing Christ, and are not good people. But I have learned that I don't go wrong when I respect the authority figures in my life, including my husband, even when I think they are wrong. God rewards obedience with peace, and often with much more than that.