The early church was characterized by a desire to share their material possessions with others in need. Luke explains that right after the Day of Pentecost when the church was born:
And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47).
A similar dynamic occurred a few years later when the people in the church at Jerusalem faced financial pressure because of what many Bible students believe was a localized famine. The apostle Paul led the Gentile churches to receive a love offering for their Jewish brothers and sisters. Paul spoke about that to the Christians in Corinth when he said:
Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
These actions went a long way towards the church fulfilling Jesus’ admonition that; “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Soon, many of us will begin receiving COVID-19 economic stimulus checks from the government. The question we all have to face is, how can we invest these funds in a way that is most pleasing to God? You may be a person who has lost your steady source of income during this unfortunate time. If that is true in your case, the answer to this question is fairly clear. Use the funds to cover your immediate expenses and praise the Lord the funds are available.
However, others are still receiving a regular paycheck during this time and really were not in need of additional funds. If that is your case, perhaps we should take a cue from the early church and look for ways to show love to others. Here are several ways to invest some or all of what the Lord will be entrusting to you in the coming days:
1. Show love to a person who is not receiving regular pay right now.
Sit down and make a list of all the people in your life who will not be paid regularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Perhaps it is the person who cuts your hair or provides some other kind of fee-for-service amenity. Maybe it is a friend, loved one, or church member who works hourly. It may be someone who has been laid off or furloughed. Why not look at your list and prayerfully consider sharing some of your stimulus funds with them? A few hundred dollars may not affect your life very much, especially if you were not expecting it in the first place. However, it could make a significant difference in the life of a person going without pay right now. You may have never had this kind of strategic opportunity to show to love to that person before. Now you do.
2. Show love to a healthcare worker or emergency responder.
What has become an inconvenience to many of us has become a life and death struggle for some in our community who walk right in the middle of a war zone every time they go to work. Why not call and offer to have supper from their favorite restaurant delivered to their house? Or find another way to show love to them at this time? Perhaps you could order a special gift for them from Amazon or some other mail-order service. Letting them know you are thinking about and praying for them right now could remind them of how many people love and appreciate their service to the Lord and our community.
3. Share a gift card with employees who are still working.
Some of us shop at the same grocery stores and over time we become familiar with some of the men and women who are working so diligently to keep the shelves stocked. Why not buy a gift card and slip it to them with a thank-you note while they are working? A Starbucks card or one to a local restaurant could communicate a very important message right now. We probably would not do something like that on a typical grocery trip. COVID-19 gives us an opportunity to perform random acts of kindness that could be especially meaningful to others.
4. Buy a gift card from a local store or restaurant and then keep it for a while.
Local small businesses are very concerned about the future right now, and justifiably so. Purchasing a gift card now provides the cash flow they need to keep their businesses going. It also says that you appreciate the goods and services they bring to our community and you want their business to be strong after all of this is over.
Sure, there are plenty of ways to show love without spending money. However, if the government is going to give some of us money we really do not need, what a perfect opportunity to share it with someone who does. Money talks, so they say. Let’s invest ours in a way that says, “I love you, and so does our God.”
