The world seems like it’s on fire. Markets collapse. That which we thought was secure is gone. It must have been what it felt like when Rome was burning. We don’t yet know whether the fire will stop today or when it will stop. How much will collapse, and how will we recover?
What do we do when Rome burns? Do we panic? If we do, then we add to the destruction. Fleeing mobs trample the innocent. If we lose our heads, then we’re dead. This is not a time to react based solely on fear.
Do we fiddle while Rome burns and pretend it isn’t happening? Denial has always been a convenient short-term coping strategy for me.
What do we teach our kids to do if they ever, God forbid, catch fire? We tell them not to run blindly. That will make the fire go faster. We don’t tell them to ignore the flames — they still burn, and they still hurt.
We instead teach them three steps that we can all do now as our financial world tilts awry. Those steps can be modified for our financial fire:
Stop.
Drop.
Pray.
Ask God to show you how He can make the best use of you. How can you — how can we all — best respond as the world around us seems to collapse? If it is difficult for us as believers to handle a global financial crisis, imagine how much harder it must be for those who have no relationship with the Lord and do not know God. Imagine facing catastrophe alone, without His help. We cannot as individuals shore up financial houses that were built on sand.
But we can know, love, and serve the Lord and bring souls to Christ. We can share and show what a peace it is to rest in the Lord’s loving care. And we can remember times past when God has provided for our needs, in His time instead of ours. We can renew our faith of the mustard seed.
This is a time when nonbelievers need the Lord the most. Our every response to financial turmoil is a witness. As we do God’s bidding, we must remember the faith of the mustard seed. We must remember His loving hand of protection upon us. Jesus told when there are wars and rumors of wars, we must not be afraid. The end is not here.
The rest will follow in God’s time. He may tell us to get off our knees and put our back to a plow. He may tell us to kneel awhile and rest in His presence. And He may tell us to go to our neighbor and share what we have. He may tell me to stop writing and fix breakfast for my family.
We won’t know what He wants us to do if we don’t take the time to listen.
Stop.
Drop.
Pray.
Jesus, I trust in You.
