‘Money, money, money...

Adrian Reynolds discusses God’s sovereignty and provision and the importance of being generous amid the coronavirus crisis

... must be funny, in a rich man’s world.’ ABBA, 1976.

Maybe so. But most of us do not live in a rich man’s world, and this present pandemic has made the uncertainties of the world we do inhabit seem much closer to home. In mid April, the Office of National Statistics reported that almost one quarter of us are already saying our household finances are being adversely affected.

It’s worth reflecting on why this is. The chart shows the answers people gave to the pollsters. Unsurprisingly, top of the list is reduced income; perhaps from those who have been furloughed on reduced salaries, struggling with the realities of self-employment, or have even lost their jobs entirely. There’s more however, with savings worries, delays in welfare, and having to provide help to others also featuring in the list.

And this, remember, is what people are saying now. Each week the pandemic rumbles on, the number adversely affected continues to grow.

What should Christians think about money at a time like this? In short, we should think the same way we always think: biblical principles do not change just because the weather breaks. What was true last December is still true today, because we serve an unchanging God. Nevertheless, the application of some of the principles changes: in other words, we always ought to be thinking how we put into practice the principles we read in Scripture. And living in this counter-cultural way is a great opportunity to display the gospel we treasure so dearly. So here goes.

A generous God

Our first principle goes to the heart of God’s character: he is a generous God who provides all we need. This is most obviously seen in the gospel of Christ. The generosity of God is an overwhelming reality in the life of every believer (2 Cor. 8:9). Each one of us knows what it means to have a lavish Father who has showered us with His saving love (1 John 3:1).

And this spiritual and eternal provision extends to all we need to live for Him. He feeds the birds and clothes the flowers (Matt. 6.25-34). Will He not feed you? Will He not clothe you? We’re not always good at distributing this generosity fairly, but God is not to be blamed for the way we create inequality.

The Scriptures are clear as to how we apply this first principle. We should be thankful. We must always learn to thank God for what we do have instead of bemoaning what we do not.

Secondly, we must fight anxiety. Worry is a natural reaction to uncertainty, especially financial uncertainty. Some readers will be feeling this very keenly, and there are some practical solutions in just a few paragraphs’ time. But even temporary struggles do not negate the need to battle against worry, as Jesus Himself encourages us to do.

Christians should also reflect the generosity that God has shown us in the way we treat others. For many of us, this is a time to increase our giving, not reduce it. While some will find money is tighter (more of this shortly), others will find they have more, not less, disposable income. Saving on travel, holidays and other luxuries is possible. We keep saying these are ‘wartime’ conditions, so what better time to embrace a little wartime frugality and – more importantly – support those most in need, whether abroad or in this country.

Look to help struggling Christians in your own church, in poorer countries and don’t neglect to remember other local churches, perhaps ministering in harder places than your own. Their drop-off in income is likely to be much more severe than yours.

A good government

Our second principle is about common grace: in His goodness, God provides a government over us for our good. This is intended to be an apolitical statement. It’s not about which party you may or may not have voted for last December. Rather, it is recognising that in His goodness, God gives us a government which benefits us. Paul sets out this principle in Romans 13 where, of course, his main focus is on maintaining law and order. But the principle stands in the more extended democracies in which we live today.

Paul’s principle application still holds true: pay your taxes willingly. This is, in fact, a longer-term application because the support that government is giving is going to have to be paid for at some point. It is good we are providing business and individual help to those that need it. It is good that the NHS is getting extra investment, but there is – despite what anyone might say – no magic money tree. Christians should therefore pay their taxes willingly now, and in the future too as we pay the price of the pandemic.

We should also rejoice in social provision – whether our health service, pension provision, education system or benefits payments – and use them gladly. Perhaps you’ve been clapping the health workers each Thursday night. Good. But don’t forget to aim a few of those claps upwards to the God who is ultimately behind it all. There are benefits available – both temporary and longer-term – and is not unChristian to make use of them. Indeed, it is a recognition that they are themselves a product of God’s goodness to us.

A glorious church

Thirdly, God has given us the most beautiful of gifts: a glorious church to which we belong and in which we serve. This church is glorious because she is joined to her glorious Saviour. And the individual, local churches to which we belong – with all their imperfections – reflect something of this universal glory.

Like me, you are probably feeling the loss of your local church at the moment. That’s exactly right. We’re longing for when we can be together again. But there may be one man or woman in your church who is feeling the loss a little more than you. I mean the treasurer.

For the most part, costs in church are fixed. Some businesses operate a model where the more they sell, the more are their costs. Church is not a business, of course, but its costs are for the most part not variable like this. Your church may be saving a little on electricity here and on chocolate biscuits there, but staff still have to be paid and loans still serviced.

Churches which rely on cash collections will be particularly suffering. If you normally give this way, why not embrace the moment and switch your giving online? If that’s impossible, make sure you store up what you would normally put in the plate to be handed over at a future time.

However you give, if you are able, maintain or even increase your giving. This will enable your church to keep going and even support those who are seeing large drops in income. But if you do have to reduce your giving, do so without guilt, for we must give according to our means (2 Cor. 8.11). But you should surely not do so without making sure you are not overspending in other areas first (are all your subscriptions really necessary, for example?). And once things are back to normal, make sure your giving is too.

In fact, this is a great opportunity to review what we give. There is no New Testament minimum – for most of us I expect the tithe of 10% is far too low a measure, we could probably afford much more. The gospel principle is sacrificial generosity. Perhaps it has been too long since you sat down and reviewed where your money goes?

Churches also have an obligation to support those in need within the local and wider congregation, and there may be those who need particular help. Christians should not be afraid to ask for help when needed (though it seems to me a biblical principle that other avenues should have been exhausted first, see 1 Tim. 5). Perhaps this is something you need to do?

Churches should be open to special collections which can be made to provide support to congregation members, other churches and overseas projects.

And without wanting to be too macabre, this pandemic has got all of us thinking about death more. So, perhaps now is the time to think about legacies and making a will. Many of us are in a highly privileged position owning our own homes, and when one day the Lord calls us home we will be uniquely placed to bless others if we leave something significant to the church to be used in the service of the kingdom.

Business as usual

All of which is to say that despite the strangeness of the moment, there is a semblance of normality. People are born. People get ill (most recover). People die. People work, even if it is from home. People lose jobs and have to look for them. Any of these circumstances can be personally challenging and painful – as you may be discovering – but their very existence is no different.

After all, God has not changed. So neither should our attitude to money.