Coronavirus and Christian Love
Sometimes my ramblings are for the world at large, but before I get hate mail from the people this is NOT directed at, I am going to preface this whole thing by saying that it is meant for the community of professing believers. If you do not believe in Christ as the living Savior, this is not directed at you.
As I watch the world try to figure out Coronavirus or COVID-19, and what it means for everyone, I am struck with a sad soul. I am sad on many levels but the biggest sadness is based on how many of my brothers and sisters in Christ are behaving. Please do not treat this as a blanket statement, there are exceptions out there but the numbers are skewed in such a way or at least what seems to be such a way that it has given me pause to think and to take the time to do a brain dump.
Every professing Christian was given the commandment to "Love your neighbor as yourself." I think these next few weeks are the time for us to put those words into action. I am so disheartened by the number of individuals who say they know Christ who are not thinking of those around them. I think this is the exact time for us to show love for our neighbor. If nothing else comes out of this, I think we will see people's true colors, so to speak.
Yes, there are many people right now for whom this virus will be an inconvenience to them at worst. But instead of showing love for their neighbor, I see a lot of mocking and belittling. I expect it from some individuals but others have completely floored me. I see my Facebook wall covered with individuals who post Bible verses regularly and are unabashedly outspoken Christians, mocking the measures being taken and making comments about the sky falling. I do not have time nor the energy to get into Facebook battles with these individuals so I have not addressed these things. What I will do is hopefully point out some things that I hope people will consider.
If nothing else, do you understand that asking people to stay out of large gatherings is not really about YOU. It is about helping those around you? You very well could be in the large number of people who are asymptomatic and don't even know you are carrying it. But you can then pass it to the person next to you that could die from it. So the most basic love you can do right now is to say, what if it was me? Would I want others to consider a brief interruption in life to help me stay healthy while the doctors and nurses prepare for whatever this turns into. (Because let's be honest here, not a single one of us is GOD! While we may see trends and have ideas of what may or may not happen, not a single one of us really knows. You don't know the number of hairs on your head, but HE does. And HE is the only one who really knows how this virus will spread and if or if not it will become a true issue here in the US like elsewhere.) No one is saying that the measures being taken are going to stop this virus, they are trying right now to make sure that things are in place so doctors don't have to choose who to save like the Italian doctors are doing. So, the most basic thing we can do right now is do as the Bible says and do as our elected officials ask (after all God put them in their place) since they are not asking us to do anything un-Biblical and love our neighbor in this most very basic way. You may not like it, no one says you have to like it. But mocking and belittling things will not help show love either.
While my family is mostly healthy and will, Lord willing, come out ok on the other end of all this, I am hiding out to allow myself to have a surgery I have been waiting over 3 months for. (Please note, I would be hiding out even if Coronavirus weren't on the table because a sinus infection could call this off). I have a parent with COPD. I have a parent with asthma and autoimmune issues. I have an aunt fighting cancer. My best friend is on round 3 of leukemia treatments. Part of what God calls us to do is love our neighbor as ourselves. Instead of getting so mad that things are closed and we have to endure some difficult juggling of resources for a while, this is a time to think of others and help each other out.
Maybe consider checking on the elderly neighbor or shut in community member to see if they are ok. CALL them. Again, you could be carrying things you don't even know right now so just call them and check on them. Do they have the supplies they need? Maybe when you are out getting what you need you can offer to get them some supplies. Not everyone is in a position to help in this fashion, but people are hording and frankly, being mean. So even leaving items on the shelf that you do not need would be a way of loving your neighbor right now. Think of the scene in "What a Wonderful Life" when everyone wants their money from Bailey Savings & Loan and George asks them to think of what they will need to get by until the bank re-opens. While we don't know the extent that they will go, are you buying more food than you would eat in a month? Are you buying food you would never eat? Perhaps the most basic love you can show right now is to leave that on the shelf for the person who will eat it. Stop the greed. Love your neighbor.
One of the most heartening things I have seen is a couple mom's offering to make lunches for those in the area that get free meals at school. These mom's are concerned for those kids and that they have their basic needs are met while the schools are closed. THAT is what I think Jesus wants us to do right now, not get so mad that we have to think and care for those around us. Again, not everyone can afford to do this, especially since kids being home may mean less hours worked, but instead of being so angry that schools are closed, pray for those families that may be in need and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR!
Another area that saddened me is that with schools closing, many families are going to be venturing into uncharted territory for them. Many schools are sending work home and children who have never been homeschooled and who have parents trying their best to work to keep income coming in will have to figure all this out VERY suddenly. Guess what most of us homeschool mom's would not bat an eye to help a mom who wanted to know how to homeschool out. We would encourage them and tell them to ask any questions they have. Guess what? There are hundreds of mom's out there right now who need that. There are very few that don't have email anymore. Open the invitation to answer questions and give suggestions on how to make these next few weeks easier for those families. No, they may not be choosing it for the same reasons you did, but they could use your help and you have a lot more experience at it. SHOW LOVE! The number of memes that I have seen that boil down to "Look who's homeschooling now" break my heart. If you have questions, I am not perfect but my inbox is open free of charge to help you try to navigate these next few weeks.
Don't get me wrong. I have not turned my home into a local food bank. I am not knocking door to door to see if all the people on my street are ok. But, I will be praying for all of them. I will be kind enough to stay away from high risk people and those that care for high risk people while we watch how this all happens. In the end, we could have done all of this and it could turn out to be so much better than anyone hoped -- and I really hope and pray it is, but I am not God, and I am not going to pretend to be. I am not going to live as a recluse for the rest of my life, but I am going to follow the basic guidelines given to me and do a lot praying. I am also going to avoid posting things on my Facebook wall that will not help the situation any or only serve to mock or belittle those with views different than my own. Take my ramblings as what they are. -- My rambling thoughts and opinions. Do with them what you will and let God lead you.
As I watch the world try to figure out Coronavirus or COVID-19, and what it means for everyone, I am struck with a sad soul. I am sad on many levels but the biggest sadness is based on how many of my brothers and sisters in Christ are behaving. Please do not treat this as a blanket statement, there are exceptions out there but the numbers are skewed in such a way or at least what seems to be such a way that it has given me pause to think and to take the time to do a brain dump.
Every professing Christian was given the commandment to "Love your neighbor as yourself." I think these next few weeks are the time for us to put those words into action. I am so disheartened by the number of individuals who say they know Christ who are not thinking of those around them. I think this is the exact time for us to show love for our neighbor. If nothing else comes out of this, I think we will see people's true colors, so to speak.
Yes, there are many people right now for whom this virus will be an inconvenience to them at worst. But instead of showing love for their neighbor, I see a lot of mocking and belittling. I expect it from some individuals but others have completely floored me. I see my Facebook wall covered with individuals who post Bible verses regularly and are unabashedly outspoken Christians, mocking the measures being taken and making comments about the sky falling. I do not have time nor the energy to get into Facebook battles with these individuals so I have not addressed these things. What I will do is hopefully point out some things that I hope people will consider.
If nothing else, do you understand that asking people to stay out of large gatherings is not really about YOU. It is about helping those around you? You very well could be in the large number of people who are asymptomatic and don't even know you are carrying it. But you can then pass it to the person next to you that could die from it. So the most basic love you can do right now is to say, what if it was me? Would I want others to consider a brief interruption in life to help me stay healthy while the doctors and nurses prepare for whatever this turns into. (Because let's be honest here, not a single one of us is GOD! While we may see trends and have ideas of what may or may not happen, not a single one of us really knows. You don't know the number of hairs on your head, but HE does. And HE is the only one who really knows how this virus will spread and if or if not it will become a true issue here in the US like elsewhere.) No one is saying that the measures being taken are going to stop this virus, they are trying right now to make sure that things are in place so doctors don't have to choose who to save like the Italian doctors are doing. So, the most basic thing we can do right now is do as the Bible says and do as our elected officials ask (after all God put them in their place) since they are not asking us to do anything un-Biblical and love our neighbor in this most very basic way. You may not like it, no one says you have to like it. But mocking and belittling things will not help show love either.
While my family is mostly healthy and will, Lord willing, come out ok on the other end of all this, I am hiding out to allow myself to have a surgery I have been waiting over 3 months for. (Please note, I would be hiding out even if Coronavirus weren't on the table because a sinus infection could call this off). I have a parent with COPD. I have a parent with asthma and autoimmune issues. I have an aunt fighting cancer. My best friend is on round 3 of leukemia treatments. Part of what God calls us to do is love our neighbor as ourselves. Instead of getting so mad that things are closed and we have to endure some difficult juggling of resources for a while, this is a time to think of others and help each other out.
Maybe consider checking on the elderly neighbor or shut in community member to see if they are ok. CALL them. Again, you could be carrying things you don't even know right now so just call them and check on them. Do they have the supplies they need? Maybe when you are out getting what you need you can offer to get them some supplies. Not everyone is in a position to help in this fashion, but people are hording and frankly, being mean. So even leaving items on the shelf that you do not need would be a way of loving your neighbor right now. Think of the scene in "What a Wonderful Life" when everyone wants their money from Bailey Savings & Loan and George asks them to think of what they will need to get by until the bank re-opens. While we don't know the extent that they will go, are you buying more food than you would eat in a month? Are you buying food you would never eat? Perhaps the most basic love you can show right now is to leave that on the shelf for the person who will eat it. Stop the greed. Love your neighbor.
One of the most heartening things I have seen is a couple mom's offering to make lunches for those in the area that get free meals at school. These mom's are concerned for those kids and that they have their basic needs are met while the schools are closed. THAT is what I think Jesus wants us to do right now, not get so mad that we have to think and care for those around us. Again, not everyone can afford to do this, especially since kids being home may mean less hours worked, but instead of being so angry that schools are closed, pray for those families that may be in need and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR!
Another area that saddened me is that with schools closing, many families are going to be venturing into uncharted territory for them. Many schools are sending work home and children who have never been homeschooled and who have parents trying their best to work to keep income coming in will have to figure all this out VERY suddenly. Guess what most of us homeschool mom's would not bat an eye to help a mom who wanted to know how to homeschool out. We would encourage them and tell them to ask any questions they have. Guess what? There are hundreds of mom's out there right now who need that. There are very few that don't have email anymore. Open the invitation to answer questions and give suggestions on how to make these next few weeks easier for those families. No, they may not be choosing it for the same reasons you did, but they could use your help and you have a lot more experience at it. SHOW LOVE! The number of memes that I have seen that boil down to "Look who's homeschooling now" break my heart. If you have questions, I am not perfect but my inbox is open free of charge to help you try to navigate these next few weeks.
Don't get me wrong. I have not turned my home into a local food bank. I am not knocking door to door to see if all the people on my street are ok. But, I will be praying for all of them. I will be kind enough to stay away from high risk people and those that care for high risk people while we watch how this all happens. In the end, we could have done all of this and it could turn out to be so much better than anyone hoped -- and I really hope and pray it is, but I am not God, and I am not going to pretend to be. I am not going to live as a recluse for the rest of my life, but I am going to follow the basic guidelines given to me and do a lot praying. I am also going to avoid posting things on my Facebook wall that will not help the situation any or only serve to mock or belittle those with views different than my own. Take my ramblings as what they are. -- My rambling thoughts and opinions. Do with them what you will and let God lead you.
Thank you for your thoughts Jackie! Also, thanks for the text today asking how Dad and I are getting on. One point I would like to make is that you don't have to be a professed believer to be part of this. Your comments ARE good for everyone. There are many good people out there who can follow and love without being a Christian. The biggest thing is that we need to THINK of OTHERS, no matter what faith we are. Thank you for the post, and maybe it will inspire EVERYONE to act as we would like to be treated. Yep, the GOLDEN RULE!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely can be for everyone. I just have some friends who follow me on Facebook and are not believers and consider anything I post that has a Bible verse to be basic garbage. So, while everyone should be kind to each other and follow the golden rule, I wanted to just make my point about how believers need to use this time to not fall into hypocrisy and instead witness and love. I am just too tired to get into theological battles so I directed my comments very specifically. But, you are correct, I wish everyone would do them.
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