This week marks the Passover and celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ironically, we are living out a moment in history where the invisible enemy, the devil, is trying his best to wipe out commemoration of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the devastation in our country. Within a matter of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis has turned the lives of our country upside down with the stay-at-home order, the social (physical) distancing order, and wearing face masks and gloves in public to slow down the spread of the virus. Our church doors are closed, leaving the congregation and leaders no choice but to have weekly fellowship and worship services online. The unemployment rate has skyrocketed to an all-time high and people are working from home, while others are on furlough. We stand in lines waiting to enter the grocery store, hoping to find the necessities on the shelves. Children, youth, and young adults are abruptly transitioning to online instruction and are forced to be separated from their peers and teachers, while parents are now homeschool teachers. Major mile-stone events like graduations, proms, weddings, and baby showers have been canceled/postponed indefinitely because of the social (physical) distancing orders in place. People are forced to bury their loved ones in an undignified manner with minimum support due to large family gatherings and social functions being banned. Nevertheless, we as believers in the body of Christ cannot afford to allow the praise and worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be silenced. 

Although our country is in crisis, we can still glorify God by using our gifts and talents in our homes with our families, and evangelize on social media. Video conferencing and mobile phones make it possible to encourage and celebrate one another. Using our special endowments allows us to help one another combat depression; anxiety; hopelessness; and idleness. Colossians 3:16 NLT states, “Let the message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” 

During these times of uncertainty, we need to find ways to invest in others while remembering to count our blessings. Investing in the lives of others when we are in the middle of experiencing painful seasons in our lives helps us to escape the trap of self-pity and self-destructive behaviors. According to Gillihan (2017), taking time to brighten someone else’s day when they are down results in us feeling better and more empowered in our situations. Inagaki, Ph.D., et.al (2016) found that people who give more than they receive tend to experience lower levels of anxiety and more peace of mind. Not only will you feel better and experience more peace, but you will also receive tangible blessings.

My good friend and editor, Chontali Kirk, is a prime example of how being a benefactor of sowing good seeds in someone’s life resulted in her being blessed tremendously. There was a time when she was experiencing depression and battling with disappointment in her life. It was 2013 when I approached her about editing my first book and asked her to help me navigate the self-publishing world. She agreed to take on the challenge for a nominal fee because she believed in the message of the book, although she had never before edited nor published a book (previously, she was a section and layout editor). Chontali’s commitment, dedication, thorough research on book publishing and editing, and high degree of integrity on this project lead to her starting a book publishing and consulting firm. After she completed my project, the Lord blessed her to edit and publish 11 more books and 1 dissertation. She is also a middle school English Language Arts teacher and creator of the Teach and Do Podcast. Her testimony is an excellent example of sowing good seeds and reaping a harvest, as stated in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NKJV: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

When we commit to helping others, we have to make sure we maintain a positive attitude or our kind deed will leave the person feeling embarrassed and like a charity case. The late poet, Maya Angelou said it best, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Essentially, we must be mindful to treat people the way we desire to be treated, which is with love, respect, and compassion. Mark 12:30 & 31 NLT states, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The secret to giving is to make sure we don’t give anything away that we cannot afford to let go of permanently. When we give, we must make sure we don’t expect anything in return. How many times have you heard about broken relationships and family chaos taking place over money owed or someone feeling taken advantage of in a situation? These problems arise because we give with the wrong heart. Genuine benevolence expects nothing in return. As believers, we have the guarantee that our Heavenly Father will reward us for pure-hearted good deeds because our ultimate focus is to please God. The person we bless may not be able to return the favor or simply may choose not to return the favor; either way, we have to trust God. He will make sure we are taken care of as stated in Colossians 3:23&24 NKJV: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” 

God keeps a record of what we do and will make sure we receive what we deserve for being faithful. Galatians 6:7&9 KJV states, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Although the invisible enemy is wreaking havoc in our country, we still have the victory because Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and is seated in heavenly places, interceding on our behalf. As children of God, we are covered by the Blood of Jesus created in His image to carry out His purpose on Earth. Let’s allow God to use us to be a blessing during this COVID-19 pandemic. Seek the Lord for direction and share your endowments. Before long, you will find yourself rejoicing over the deep sense of contentment and satisfaction investing in the lives of others. 

1.    Inagaki, Tristen K. Ph.D.; Bryne Haltom, Kate E. BA; Suzuki, Shosuke BA; Jevtic, Ivana BA; Hornstein, Erica MA; Bower, Julienne E. Ph.D.; Eisenberger, Naomi I. Ph.D., “The Neurobiology of Giving Versus Receiving Support: The Role of Stress-Related and Social Reward-Related Neural Activity,” Psychosomatic Medicine 78, no. 4 (May 2016): 443-453.

2.    Gillihan, S.J., How Helping Others Can Relieve Anxiety and Depression: New Research Shows One More Way that Compassion is Beneficial, “Psychology Today (October 2017), https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/201710/how-helping-others-can-relieve-anxiety-and-depression

*All scriptures are written exactly as quoted in the various translations used in this blog*