Dependence is not Weakness

When we think carefully about biblical interdependency, wealth, and personal responsibility, we remember that the source and owner of all wealth is God. The psalmist explains, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him” (Psalm 24:1 NLT). We become confused, selfish, protective, and possessive in our thinking when we believe we are owners. Rather than sharing what we have, we become guarded. These attitudes have no place in relationships shaped by biblical interdependency.

The early church understood the power of biblical interdependence and of maintaining a stewardship posture that valued others over possessions. Note the example of the Christian community in Acts 4:

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need (Acts 4:32–35 NLT).

See also (Acts 2:44–45), which is not a political call to socialism but an example of compassionate, biblical community.

The call to assume personal responsibility for others is often unfamiliar—especially to those from a Western mindset, which tends to prioritize the individual and self. Much of the rest of the world leans more naturally toward others and community.

John Stott, in The Radical Disciple, writes: “A refusal to be dependent on others is not a mark of maturity but immaturity.” Furthermore, as Stott points out, Jesus modeled dependency—coming to earth as an infant, entirely reliant on His parents for all physical and familial needs. In the end, He was dependent on someone to remove His body from the cross and place it in a tomb. His example shows us that dependency is not weakness—it is inherent in our human experience.