“And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’” – Luke 3:11
As John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, he preached a simple, yet brutally direct message: repent of your selfish, sinful behaviors and then take actions that demonstrate you were truly sorry. When asked what that looked like, this verse is how he responded. He told everyone to be generous with their possessions, sharing with those in need. This is a perfect practical example of what Jesus means by loving our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:38).
As we stand at the beginning of a crisis that may well last a few months (this isn’t just a blizzard that will melt in a week), I certainly hope that no follower of Jesus was among those grasping and hoarding toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and staples for life. If you were, repent and share! To repent means to be truly sorry, to fully change your mind away from your past behavior and to ask God’s forgiveness. In Christ, He will always forgive (1 John 1:9).
Far more likely is that as this situation stretches on, many around us (and among us) will begin to face genuine hardship. That may include sickness, but for far more people, the threat is financial. As businesses cut back or close down, lay offs rise, and demand for services falls, there will be many who genuinely need help with buying basic essentials of life. Then there are those who are at greater risk from this disease, who must stay isolated or quarantined and may not have the technical skills to order delivery for daily needs. As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be ready to be generous, kind, and helpful, and to do so with dignity and respect. We must be open handed and sacrificial toward neighbors and toward those organizations in our community who serve the most vulnerable among us (e.g. food pantries and services that deliver to seniors).
As followers of Christ we must daily bear fruit – taking actions – that reveal how profoundly Christ’s presence in our lives has changed us. Generous love of neighbors is certainly part of that fruit. As the church, we should be seeking to bless our community so that Christ is revealed and God is glorified powerfully during difficult times.