Money trouble is lonely. People hide it. They skip meals so their kids can eat, put off the doctor, and say "I'm fine" at church while lying awake over a bill. Many feel ashamed, as if being short on money means they failed. Many of us have been there, or are there right now.
Jesus put daily needs into the first prayer he taught.
Daily bread
Jesus was teaching a crowd on a hillside. He told them not to pray with long, showy words, because their Father already knew what they needed. Then he gave them a short prayer.
The Gospel of Matthew, one of the four accounts of Jesus's life, records one simple line of it.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11 · King James VersionThe original Greek
τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον·
Found in Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
Not a year of bread. Not a full bank account. Bread for today. Many of the people listening lived from one day's pay to the next. Jesus put their real worry right into the prayer.
He did not treat needing food as a failure. He told people to ask for it.
Ways to help
Help without shame. Keep it private. Never make them feel like a charity case.
Share food. "I made too much" or "we got two of these at the store" lets you give without embarrassment.
Offer specific help. A ride to work, watching the kids so they can take a shift, or fixing something in their home.
Share resources. Food pantries, utility assistance, free tax help and 211, the free phone line in the United States for local help.
Help with a budget, if they want. Sit down together and go through bills, quietly and without judgment.
Share job leads. A personal introduction can open a door.
Give directly, if you can. Covering a bill or a grocery run, with no strings attached, can lift a heavy weight.
Keep including them. Choose free or cheap things to do together, so they are not left out because of cost.
Ask for today
Jesus taught us to ask God for today's bread. That means needing help is part of being human. If you have a little extra this week, you can be part of how a friend's prayer for daily bread gets answered.