"Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless…" 
- Isaiah 58:7

Many texts in the Bible focus on feeding those who are hungry and meeting needs.

Romans 12:20, for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.

The Bible admonishes each one of us to help relieve suffering. When we meet the needs of others we often can see first-hand how this helps the recipient. How does this benefit the one who gives?

I could not find a study specifically looking at giving on the physiologic changes of those who met needs by giving food. There were studies on giving in general.

A 2013 review evaluating 40 international studies showed that those who gave to others had a reduction in mortality as much as 22 percent. The Psychology of Aging studied those who gave over 200 hours of service a year. Those who gave had lower blood pressures. This study speculated that giving decreases stress physiology. In 2006, Jorge Moll at the NIH showed that giving activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure, altruism, and trust.

Other studies have implicated service in helping to increase happiness. Service may be used for the treatment of chronic pain.

We need more studies on this type of physiologic intervention. It only makes sense to me that everything we do has some type of physiologic consequence.

I was recently in Houston attending a conference. My friends, Nelson and Colin Campbell are initiating a plan to feed the hungry especially those in the inner city and in the food deserts of the world. They want to relieve suffering. They not only want to feed the hungry by offering food, but they want to offer plant-based nutrition. This inspired me.

Remember the saying, “better to give than receive.” The physiology of giving and relieving suffering has yet to be determined. The Bible calls us to this task. I can only imagine the short and long-term health benefits.

In addition to meeting physical needs, it is important to present the true source of healing, Christ. This is a need as well. We all have bad genes and need a Savior to relieve our pain. Spreading the gospel by the platform given to us will relieve suffering as well as improve health.

When we give, we receive. When we give, we love.

Serving others and meeting needs is a BPFL.

James L. Marcum, M.D. FACC
Author, Biblical Prescriptions for Life