Covid-19 and Lockdown - a compassionate Christian response to those in need
Macedonian Ministries is a Christian Missionary Ministry which endeavours to fulfil every expectation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in an effort to plant, grow sustain and reproduce New Testament Churches.
Associated with this vision is our Humanitarian Care ministry which responds to the many social needs of people; both in our churches and the community beyond.
Any human suffering will at least gain our attention and where possible, result in responses that are intended to help and heal. These grave situations become open doors for the message of hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the associated lockdown quickly resulted in “cries for help” from pastors on behalf of their congregations and communities, primarily in rural and remote South Africa.
BUT why should we CARE? What provokes a compassionate response?
Here are some Biblical reasons which motivate the wish and will to be caring to those in need.
1. To grant Empathy with those in need as a means of portraying our righteousness in Christ; no matter what the cause.
Matt 25v37-40 --- Then the RIGHTEOUS will answer him saying:
“Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you or naked and clothe you?
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?
And the King will answer them. ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of
these my brothers you did it to me.’”
2. To offer Mercy to a Neighbour in Crisis.
Luke 10v33-37 --- But a Samaritan as he journeyed came to where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the inn keeper saying. “Take care of him, and whatever more you spend I will repay when I come back.”
Which of these three is do you think proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell among the ‘robbers’?
He said the one who showed him MERCY, and Jesus said to him
“You go and do likewise”
3. To alleviate poverty by providing for the Basic needs of the body – food and clothing.
James 2v14-17 --- What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly CLOTHED and lacking in daily FOOD and one of you says to him “Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the BODY, what good is that?” So, also faith by itself if it does not have works is dead.
4. To Practice Charitable Giving to those who have become poor.
Deut. 15v7-11 --- If among you one of your brothers should become poor in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open you hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care least there be and unworthy thought in your heart and you say “The seventh year the year of release is near; and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother and you give him nothing and he cry to the Lord against you and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord you God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you “you shall open wide your hand to your brother to the needy and to the poor in your land.”
Notice:
It’s a duty… “Thou shalt give to him” … (vs7)
It’s directive… “Must give; willingly” (vs7), Without grudging (vs7), Sufficiently (vs8), and bountifully (vs8).
5. To emulate Christ’s example; who, though a King spent more time with the sick, poor, dying and marginalised; than in Kings palaces.
Matthew 11:4
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, The Lepper are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
6. To pursue “Giving” as a means for greater joy.
Acts 20v35 --- In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus how He himself said “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
In all these models the underlying motivation for giving is always compassion, a quality we find in the Christ of Christianity who should always be our benchmark in everything we do.
Simply stated “What would Jesus do in any of these situations – Let us graciously seek to do the same.”
Trevor Eayrs.
(Trevor Eayrs is Missions Developer for KwaZulu-Natal Baptist Association serving in Natal, Transkei, Lesotho and Mozambique (Southern Africa). He is Director of Macedonian Ministries which facilitates humanitarian and disaster relief in these areas. Follow posts on Macedonian Ministries’ Facebook page for ongoing reports.)
