Mom’s Money

Seek And Ye Shall Find… A Hand Up

This is not necessarily about finding religion.  That’s not what we normally talk about here.  However, there is something to be said about joining the “community” of a church for support during these very difficult times.

I’m taking faith and religion out of the church-joining argument for just a few minutes because that’s not something I can argue.  What I can argue is turning to the church as a means of survival and for your family’s emotional well-being.  But, before the critics say that I’m proposing people join churches just to get in on the give-aways, that’s not at all the idea at the heart of this.  It begins with support and here’s my argument.

During financially stressful times, we need all the help we can get.  Let’s be realistic… sometimes we don’t know where we’re going to get food enough to feed our family.  We don’t know how we’re going to pay the doctor if anyone, God forbid, gets sick.  We don’t know how we’re going to afford winter coats for the whole family next year, the kids are growing so fast.  All this uncertainty produces a great strain on a family, both physically and emotionally. 

So, let’s get real for a minute.  Churches offer the kind of support that is crucial to a family’s survival.  That’s what they do best.  When one of their own is in need, churches gather ’round and give that family both support and supplies.  Most churches have a thrift shop, a food pantry, and volunteers who offer all kinds of services to their families.

Let’s say your family loses their means of support. A church will step right in without hesitation and find ways to help one of the own flock.  We’re talking food, clothing, and even shelter, all wrapped in a blanket of kindness and security.  This, once again, is what churches do best.

You know folks who have supported themselves through hard work and dedication to their family for years, and then something happens that strips them of their resources.  It could be an illness, a job loss, or a devastating storm that threatens a family’s survival.  These once very proud mothers and fathers have a decision to make that won’t come easy.  Will they accept help from government programs or will they turn to the people who know and respect them - the people of their church.  This is often the only kind of help a proud family can accept. 

Look at your snug little family now.  What if something happens that unravels the security blanket that you’ve wrapped around your family?  Who will step in to give you a hand up?  If you don’t already belong to a church, talk to your friends about how belonging to their church makes them feel. 

And, now that I’ve made my argument about the support a church can offer, I’ll throw in my two cents about the faith side of the argument.  Personally, a few prayers can’t hurt.