Nourishing Hearts and Souls: The Call to Combine Material and Spiritual Support for the Needy

At times, when the Pastor, Imams, Bishops, Reverend Fathers preach while we occupy the front row in the church or mosque, we think the sermon of tgat day is targeting us. We begin to fret and at times be judging ourselves. So it is with some posts and the one I am doing today. I am guilty of what I am writing now too. I am bringing it into focus so we can change our paradigms to help our friends and family members in need.

A sick friend or family member needs prayers no doubt. But so do they need nourishment and money to pay hospital bills.

Just like a hungry person meets us for help. At that point, what that person needs is FOOD! Our prayer might bring a helper after now, but our ten kobo is also important and never too small. Giving materially and spiritually complements each other.

Nobody will refuse financial support because it is too small. At times we believe some people are too big to be helped. Not true because the rich also cry. That little token from us would make the sick or needy feel wanted and believes we care about them.

My counsel is, let us not shy to give our widow’s mite and follow up with prayers. When we give to the sick and the hungry, we only get positioned to receive the harvests of the bountiful rewards that come with material and spiritual supports for the needy.

We are gradually losing some of the practices of the older generation. When visiting the sick in those days, our parents will go milk, sugar, lucozade, ribena, beverages, etc. I am sure if it is now, they will wire their little support because of the suspicions over food poisoning. They, through this practice, gave hope and strength to the sick and the needy.

These days, we have no money to assist the sick, but we have so much to give to bury the dead.

Nigerians are good people and best givers in the world. But transmitting some of the socio-cultural heritages of the past seem to be dying off. We need to walk a little back to rediscover how we could be our brothers’ keeper always.

Grace and peace!!!