Written by Dynamis Ministries | February 22, 2024
For all the “thrifters” out there, you probably have a sixth sense for finding the nearest Salvation Army on any given day. For you, The Salvation Army is not just about people standing next to red kettles and ringing bells outside storefronts during the holidays. No, The Salvation Army is a treasure trove of hidden gems and rare finds! While it’s true that The Salvation Army makes a strong showing around the holidays and has thrift stores in communities across the country, the history of this movement has much deeper roots grounded in faith-in-action generosity.
The Salvation Army was started in London by minister William Booth who abandoned the traditional approach of preaching the Gospel from the church pulpit to take the Good News of Jesus directly to the hurting people in the city. Booth would preach to the most marginalized people of the day — the poor, homeless, thieves, prostitutes, gamblers and addicts while also generously meeting their most basic needs through acts of service. Other people joined Booth and his wife in this mission, and eventually, this movement spread across the world and formed what we now know as The Salvation Army, which still operates as a church and a charitable organization to this day.
What may be surprising is that while William Booth was an ordained minister, it was not necessarily his preaching that led so many people to Christ, it was his spirit of generosity that was evident for all to see through his selfless service to others. In fact, Booth’s daughter, Evangeline, who became the General of The Salvation Army, was once asked about how her parents shaped her faith and responded in this way:
“I saw my parents working for their people, bearing their burdens. Day and night. They did not have to say a word to me about Christianity.”
As Christians we all share a common order to spread the Good News; however, sometimes we underestimate how our day-to-day behavior and treatment of others can be our greatest witness. The way we live out a spirit of generosity in front of others can lead people to Jesus just as successfully as preaching the Word, sometimes more so. As humans, we all want to know that we belong; loved, seen and cared for. When we serve and love others through a spirit of generosity in the name of Jesus, we are offering others one of the most basic needs of belonging that we all crave, not only in this life but for all eternity!
As we go forward in our days let’s not forget how impactful our actions are to others. Let’s strive to live out a spirit of generosity through the way we generously treat one another, even those who may be different or even opposed to us. Let’s not merely tell others about the love of Jesus, but let’s also show them the love of Jesus by loving others with our hearts and serving them with our hands.
