"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." – James 2:14-17

It’s fairly safe to say that all of us have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in one way or another. Last month, I wrote about the challenges of working during this uncertain time and the stresses that come with constantly adjusting to work conditions and navigating the ins and outs of the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Plan. I also wrote about how, in times like these, I lean on my faith.

As I study scripture and try to apply it to my context, I believe that faith calls us into action. Those of us who are healthy and still receiving a paycheck are fortunate and we should be thankful. But what do we do with that teaching?

Scripture tells me I should express my gratitude by serving others. Jesus, in the Gospel of John, says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

The pandemic, and the economic fallout that has come with it, has left many without jobs. Stimulus checks and unemployment benefits have helped, but they likely won’t last as long as the recession. People who were already struggling before COVID-19 are going to be hurting for a long time. And people who probably thought they would never need a helping hand need it now.

So, if your family is healthy and you’re still financially secure, I want to challenge you to please help other families in our community who aren’t in the same situation.

Did you know that 1 in 8 Middle Tennesseans including 1 in 6 children struggle with hunger? You can help those folks by supporting Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, which has been serving our community since 1978. Every dollar you donate will provide four meals for someone in need. You can donate by going to www.secondharvestmidtn.org.

As our community has grown, affordable housing has become harder to attain. Everyone needs a place to call home and, according to Rutherford County Habitat For Humanity, “homeownership is a crucial foundation for helping families with low incomes build strength, stability and independence. When families move out of substandard housing and into decent and affordable homes, their health, educational attainment, safety and personal wealth often improve.” You can donate to the Rutherford County Area Habitat For Humanity at http://www.rchfh.org/.

I would also encourage you to reach out to your church’s leadership and find out what your church is doing to help people during COVID-19 and how you can help. At my church, we are celebrating kids who missed out on their high school graduations, supporting the Brooks House for Women’s Shelter, helping Compassionate Hands for Homeless and working with many other ministries.

And finally, please support local businesses. The restaurant industry has been hit hard, and many of us may not feel comfortable enough to go eat at a restaurant, but maybe you could get carry out or buy a gift card now and use it later. If you’re going to go shopping, consider going to a mom and pop store that is at risk of going out of business rather than a big box store that has a big box budget to keep it afloat during all of this. The Smyrna Independent Merchants Association has a list of local businesses here: http://www.simatn.org/local-business-directory/.

If you’re unable to tithe, donate to a good cause or spend money with a local business right now, I understand. But I would encourage you to take some action. Check on your neighbors, call your friends, write an old-fashioned letter. You’ll be surprised by how a small gesture can make a big difference to someone who is home alone or who finds isolation difficult. It won’t cost you a thing, but it will mean a lot.

As I said last month, we will get through this together. But we need to be thinking about the kind of community we want to live in when this is over. If you’ve got a favorite local restaurant or store, spend some money there now so they can survive this crisis. And if you believe like I do that we’re called to help our neighbors, please find a way to give back. After all, what good is that belief if you don’t do something about it?