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Mar 31, 2025 06:00am

United in Crisis

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Can you imagine waking up one day and learning that you have no access to your money in the bank? For some of us, that wouldn’t matter too much since we don’t have a lot. But for others, that would be a huge hit. How would you buy food? How would you pay your bills? How would you survive?

This is what happened in 1929 as the stock market crashed, the global economy was disastrous, and the Great Depression began. It took nearly ten years for America to pull out of this, and then it was thrust into World War II.

For the Lebanese people, this became their reality as their country suffered a severe economic crisis. Since 2019, their economy has been in turmoil and on the brink of collapse. And then one day, the banks just closed. My friend Joe Costa, who lives in Lebanon, shared with us that at that moment, no matter if you were a millionaire or barely surviving, you were all the same.

People stood in long lines to get a $25 voucher handed out by the government. And then, just to get in the grocery store meant hours of more waiting. So, what did they do? They banded together and began using whatever they had to help one another. Joe and his church made home visits to take food and basic living items to people who couldn’t get out. They shared vouchers with those who needed them. They prayed with them, shared Scripture with them, and offered hope in a time when darkness loomed over them.

Romans 12:3-8
For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;
7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;
8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

There is no hierarchy, no ladder to climb, and no “I’m better than you” attitude in the body of Christ. Paul made this clear to the believers in Rome, just as it’s clear to us today.

We are all the same—children of God. We have all received the same amount of grace that was needed in order to save us. God’s mercy was offered to the world, and for those who have chosen to believe, He graciously offers freedom and guidance by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit brings with Him gifts to each of us. One is not better than another, but all are needed for the body to function properly. Just like our own bodies, our arm does not know how to reach out unless our brain tells it to. Our blood can’t move on its own to supply oxygen and nutrients to the body unless the heart pumps it. The body of Christ must use the gifts the Lord gives us to serve one another and to glorify God.

How can we use our gifts to serve the Lord, His church, and one another? As Paul instructed, share the truth, teach others, encourage one another, give generously, lead diligently, and cheerfully show mercy.

Believers—we are the body of Christ. This world is in crisis. They need hope. In this dark world, let us band together and offer them the Light of the world.

Jesus.

Do you want to know more? Go to follow.lifeword.org and learn what it means to follow Jesus daily through discipleship.