The Believer’s Response to Inflation
As believers, God calls on us to trust in His provision. To be responsible and faithful with the resources we have, especially in trying times of economic uncertainty.
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat, drink and wear?’ … for your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Matthew 6:31-33
We must remember this commandment, in good times and bad. We should never turn our back on our beliefs, Christian duties, or our God. Churches have an opportunity to step up in times of need, to be an extraordinary blessing to communities all over the country.
The generosity of us and our churches will be more deeply felt by our communities as we confront inflation and uncertainty. And remember, God isn’t measuring how much we give. Instead our Father wants to see that we care.
“Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”’ –Mark 12: 43-44
We should not lose sight of our Christian values and our ability to love thy neighbor and bear witness for our savior. God has not forgotten us. Already we are seeing relief in lower gas prices, more jobs, and slowing inflation.
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Despite what the news says, there is hope. Our Lord gives us hope and strength, always, and things are getting better. Black faith leaders and communities have shown extraordinary acts of kindness and have not forgotten the good word of the Bible.
Black Churches’ Impact on Community
Last Easter, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia held a food and gas giveaway. Bags of groceries and gas station gift cards were distributed to neighbors in need.
At Salem Baptist Church in Nebraska, 500 backpacks are being distributed to children this weekend before school starts. Head pastor Selwyn Bachus told reporters, “We know how difficult things are for families this time of the year … we’re giving out 200 more this year than we gave out last year and we really had to dig deep and make a sacrifice.”
In July, churches in Oklahoma City worked together to distribute $350,000 in everyday supplies that were no longer as accessible to families in need impacted by inflation.
These acts did not go unnoticed. These church communities recognize the hard work and sacrifice of the churches who bear witness through their actions.
Economic Relief is in Sight
There is more good news though–the end of financially hard times is in sight. Already, gas prices are falling. Now, Oklahoma is the first state where gas prices have fallen to $2.97 per gallon. Nationwide, prices have fallen for 7 straight weeks. This decrease has been caused by less demand, crude oil prices falling globally, and President Joe Biden’s unprecedented release of oil from U.S. reserves.
The job market is also holding fast. In July, 538,000 jobs were added to the economy, way outpacing experts expectations. A good sign of this job growth is that employment is growing among all types of businesses. Total unemployment has also fallen to where it was before the pandemic began in 2020, at the 50 year low of 3.5 percent. Wage growth also expanded more than experts predicted, rising 5.2 percent in July.
As the summer begins to come to an end, may God continue to bless the USA as it continues to have the most opportunities of any country in the world. In the meantime, Christ-followers will continue to dutifully serve their communities and spread Christ’s love by serving their neighbors.