When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19
“A good and faithful minister will rightly consider all means which it may be proper to take to console the distressed, according as he [or she] sees them affected: being guided in the whole by the Word of the Lord. Furthermore, if the minister has anything by which he [or she] can console and give bodily relief to the afflicted poor, let him [or her] not spare, but show to all a true example of charity.”
John Calvin (1509-1564) in “On the Visitation of the Sick” in John Calvin, Tracts, Vol. II, trans. Henry Beveridge (Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1849) 127-128. Originally in the Catechism of the Church of Geneva.
In crisis times we get to console people. Calvin instructs us to do this with the Word of the Lord and with whatever resources we have.
Remind people to find consolation in God by asking how they are doing. From there, if they have a need, see if God has resourced you to meet it.
Do not “spare” such resources in fear but “show to all a true example of charity” in these trying times. God sees, and the world is watching too.
If you are vulnerable and unable to get out, give generously to your church or consider making a gift to the Generosity Monk fund at NCF.
These are challenging times. With the Word of God and whatever we have, we can make a difference in consoling those around us.
To be sure to equip yourself, invest more time in the Word than you spend watching the news every day. And check in on at least one person daily. Let’s do this.