Today is the final day of freedom before our community goes into shelter-at-home orders for the next 30 days. Although groceries will still be available tomorrow and many businesses will remain open, I’m concerned that today will be a run on all things Wal-Mart, Target, Sam’s, and Harter House. I expect shelves will be bare today as isles are packed.
For many days across the nation, stores already have limited the number of items that can be purchased. One friend of mine had an employee of a big box store take two cans of beans out of his cart and two other can-good items out at the checkout line. He told him it was store policy even though there were no signs. He thanked the man for doing his job and checked out.
Let’s be honest with each other, for some households and generous people who are shopping for others, there are good reasons to get more than just 1 of some items. However, for most of us, we can live within the limits. Nevertheless, the limits appeared because so many people, possibly motivated by fear, chose to hoard.
For the Christian, we should not need a sign to remind us to think of others and care about them. As followers of Christ, the last thing any of us should be is a hoarder.
Think of Others First
Consider these two great passages:
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 22:27-40).
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Phil 2:3-4).
The Bible unequivocally speaks to the issue of loving your neighbor and thinking about your neighbor first. As followers of Christ, we should lead in our communities when it comes to loving our neighbors, sharing, and seeking to make a difference for others.
Remember the First Church
When you read the story of the first church in Jerusalem, you see how they loved and cared for each other. Instead of using their resources to only take care of their own families and hoard anything, they came together for the specific purpose of sharing. They made all things common. In fact, they looked at their neighbors in need and sought to cover that need (cf., Acts 2:40-47). These followers of Christ allowed love and concern to guide their behavior.
In this worldwide pandemic, we cannot take care of every person in our community; although, we can help take care of some. We can look around and see people that have needs and seek to fill them.
Or, in a generic sense, we can walk down an isle at the store and take only what we need.
Self-Control Is a Fruit of the Spirit
Friends, we must curb our own desires to hoard, think of self first, and live self-seeking.
Paul wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23).
Self-control – the Spirit’s fruit in our lives should include this.
But also love, peace, kindness, goodness, and gentleness.
Hoarding goes against each one of those things.
Enjoy Your Day and Seek to Serve Others
For those in and around the Springfield Metro, enjoy your last day before the real quarantine starts.
In the process of enjoying it, please do not forget to love and serve others.
Friends, we do not need a sign to do that!
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together