FAITH: God wishes suffering on no people

As our nation finds itself in yet another federal government shutdown, our faith communities must amplify a simple yet profound truth: God wishes suffering on no people. Scripture tells us that the Lord “executes justice for the oppressed; … gives food to the hungry.” (Psalm 146:7) Every program, every policy, every provision that sustains human dignity reflects a fragment of that divine purpose. 

Today, one of the most alarming fault-lines in our society is food insecurity—not just among adults but most urgently among children and other vulnerable populations. Nearly 42 million Americans currently receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But if the shutdown continues past late October 2025, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates there will be insufficient funds to cover full SNAP benefits for November. 

Consider the scale: in Texas alone, 3.5 million recipients—including 1.7 million children—face losing access to food assistance unless lawmakers act. In Michigan, nearly 13 percent of households (some 1.4 million people) rely on SNAP, and 43 percent of those households include children. The shutdown isn’t an abstract budget issue—it’s a matter of children going hungry, seniors skipping meals, parents giving up medication so there’s gas to drive to a food pantry. 

Theologian Tim Keller once reminded us: “Suffering is unbearable if you aren’t certain that God is for you and with you.” As Christians we must identify with that suffering—because when a child goes to bed hungry, God weeps. And when a parent doubts whether the rent or the groceries will come first, our God is present in that doubt. We are called to compassion—not just sympathy, not just words—but concrete action. 

What can the faith community do? Here are three practical steps: 

1. Raise our voices. Our elected officials need to hear from communities of faith that cutting or pausing SNAP isn’t a policy dispute—it’s a moral crisis. Call (202-224-3121) your U.S. Senator, or visit them in person. Ask: Will my state’s SNAP recipients receive benefits on time? What contingency funds are being released? Pastors, youth groups, and faith organizations can gather and pray, then carry petitions or letters to state capitals or send video testimonies from those who rely on food assistance. 
2. Mobilize local response. Food banks, church pantries, and mission ministries will feel the pressure. According to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), “for every meal that a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine.” If SNAP is disrupted, local

hunger will spike. Churches can organize “empty pantry” drills: partner with local stores, coordinate pick-ups of shelf-stable goods, and set up quick-deploy volunteer teams. Print this message in your bulletin: “If federal food-assistance pauses, we must fill the gap.” 

3. Advocate for systemic justice. This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about acknowledging that our economic structures either reflect God’s heart for the vulnerable or ignore it. The prophet Micah asked, “What does the LORD require of you? … to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) Food assistance is not charity—it’s justice. By supporting programs that provide basic sustenance, we embody the gospel in concrete terms. 

The ongoing shutdown reminds us that when the vulnerable lose access to basic human needs—food, shelter, dignity—the suffering isn’t theoretical. It is real. But our God is still for them. As theologian Jürgen Moltmann affirmed: “Where there is danger, salvation also grows.” In this crisis, salvation looks like a church lobby day, a pantry drive, a phone call to Congress. 

Bottom line: God wishes suffering on no people. If we live that out, we will act—not tomorrow, but today. We will lift our voices, step into our neighborhoods, and serve in solidarity with the most vulnerable among us. Because in the Kingdom of God, no child is expendable, no adult is invisible, and no table should ever go empty on our watch.

Adam Johnson is a strategy consultant and ordained minister with two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership nationwide, currently the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Jackson TN. He holds advanced degrees in nonprofit organization from the University of Memphis. Adam lives in Jackson with his wife, Kayla, and their daughter Josephine.