In the past days, Typhoon Ramil has battered the northern part of Iloilo and the province of Capiz, bringing torrential rains and widespread flooding.
Homes have been submerged, roads damaged, and livelihoods lost. Many of our fellow Filipinos are now struggling, uncertain how to rebuild their lives.
Whenever calamities strike, we are reminded that our faith must move from words to action. As James said, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). But how do we respond as Christians?
The Bible gives us a clear answer: we are one body in Christ, and when one part suffers, every part suffers with it (1 Corinthians 12:26).
Let us look into the Scriptures and learn how the New Testament churches helped one another in times of struggle.
First, recognize that we are one Body in Christ.
Romans 12:4–5 says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he was writing to a church made up of both Jews and Gentiles, a community divided by culture, background, and economic status. Paul reminded them that despite their differences, they are one body because they belong to Christ.
When disasters like Typhoon Ramil come, we should not say, “That’s their problem,” but rather, “That’s our problem.” Their suffering is our burden. Their recovery is our mission.
Let us remember: we are not independent believers. We are interdependent members of the same body.
Second, respond like the New Testament churches did.
2 Corinthians 8:1–4 says, “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
Paul wrote about the churches in Macedonia: Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, who gave generously to help the believers in Jerusalem who were suffering from famine.
Historically, around AD 46–48, a great famine struck Judea during the reign of Emperor Claudius (Acts 11:28). The early churches, though poor themselves, sent relief offerings through Paul and Barnabas (Acts 11:29–30).
Notice that the Macedonian churches were not rich. They were “in extreme poverty,” yet they “pleaded for the privilege of sharing.” This is the heart of Christian giving, not out of abundance, but out of love.
Like the Macedonians, we can also give, pray, and extend help, no matter how little we think we have. Our giving becomes an expression of fellowship.
When we help others, we become channels of God’s grace. We embody the Gospel through compassion in action.
As Paul wrote in Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” | NWI
