The 
Can You Spare A Penny?
January 5, 2010
In her insightful book, The Forgotten Man, Amity Shlaes provides fascinating stories about what life was like during the Great Depression in the U.S. At the center of that economic drama was: "the forgotten man", a term used for the countless individuals who were thrown out of work.
A popular Depression-era song poignantly expresses their story:
"They used to tell me I was building a dream
with peace and glory ahead.
Why should I be standing in line...
just waiting for bread?
Once I built a railroad,
I made it run...
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad,
now it's done.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
As the lyrics remind us, an economic downturn changes everything for hard-working peole who lose their jobs, their missions support, or wherever their income comes from. When that happens, we as Christians should do what we can for people in need. In Galatians 2, Paul and Barnabas were reminded to evangelize and to: "remember the poor"
. We can see that Paul did just that - preaching the Gospel and encouraging financial aid to those in need.
During tough economic times, we too should help people in need---spiritually and physically. Pennies and dimes don't go far these days, but a generous attitude does.
Good excercise for the heart ...
is to bend down
and help another person up.
