The hot topic on everyone’s mind these days is the coronavirus. Who has it? How will I protect myself? What if I come down with it? An atmosphere full of complaints morphs into conspiracy theories, and ends in a state of outright panic.
I’m not saying this as if I’m immune to these sensations. My church’s closing down for six weeks interferes with a good share of my social life. This includes my Saturday night church service as well as the Ladies Bible study. I still can join the sermon online, but it doesn’t give me an opportunity to have the fellowship of sharing the singing and worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Even if I were there, we’d be too afraid to greet each other with handshakes or hugs.
It’s interesting, too, how people respond to such crises by inventing conspiracy scenarios. It’s as if their minds can’t wrap around the unusual and outright bizarre circumstances. So, in order to make sense of it all, they come up with a reason why a little bug can stop their worlds. I’ve heard a variety of theories on where it came from, as well as why. For example, they propose some government group created the virus as a political tool to pass laws which give them more power. I’ve even had one shared with me that it was a means to kill off the boomer generation to forestall Social Security’s bankruptcy. I’m sure there are plenty more to fit any particular philosophical bent.
The factor that most disturbs me, however, is panic. We see this in the stockpiling of material goods and foods. Very few of us have missed the recent phenomena of finding huge lines all the way to the back of the grocery store. Some of the people stare wide-eyed with darting glances while they white-knuckle their handles on carts piled high with food and goods.
I found myself in this type of post-apocalyptic atmosphere the other day at my favorite grocery store, which totally shocked me. As I noticed the line, I skipped some of the needed items on my list and found a place at the end of the que. I had limited time before picking up my grandson at school, but I felt myself tumbling down the rabbit hole. What strange world had I entered?
The lady who came behind me seemed to be having the same reaction, so I asked her if she’d noticed the craziness, as well. We chuckled and chatted for a while until she excused herself so she could call her mom to warn her not to come. Funny, it turns out her mother answered her phone right in front of me, so they joined forces and allowed me to go ahead of them.
I had been absorbing some of the frightening mood of these strange surroundings and had noted the total absence of toilet paper on the shelves. As I grew nearer to the checkout lane, I determined to hit another store to explore their supply after I took my grandson home. Sure, I didn’t need any more bathroom tissue, but what if I ran out!
That afternoon as I unloaded groceries, I found that I didn’t even have enough room for my hoarded TP treasure. It was then that I realized I too had succumbed to hysteria. It became clear that panic was even more contagious than the virus!
Since then, I’ve found some positive effects of this national emergency. After an extremely divisive political season, I’m seeing a definite improvement from our leaders in pulling together for the good of the people, by passing laws to increase sick leave and remove co-pays on meds and treatments related to corona.
Also, I’ve learned that some of our local churches are providing free child- care for those who have need of it with schools and daycares closed. Added to that, generous groups are coming to the rescue by providing lunches for school kids who wouldn’t have them otherwise.
I am proud of our leaders for their foresight in preparing for the disease before it attacks full force. Social distancing is difficult and isolating, but so much better than its alternative. And it offers an occasion for introverts like me to stay home and catch up on writing and other projects.
A magazine article I read told about a quarantined Christian pastor from Wuhan, carrying on with online services. He praised God for how the epidemic had allowed him and his church members to minister to nonbelievers who saw the Christians’ hopeful attitudes while in these frightening circumstances. It became a great opportunity for our Chinese brothers and sisters to spread the gospel in a mighty way.
We too can use this time to use coronavirus for good with our Christ-like attitudes and actions. Satan means for it to take us out, but God means it for good. Watch for those situations and times when you can serve your neighbor and tell them about God’s goodness and sovereignty, the reason for your peace in the midst of the storm.
Dianna
Sharing the Fruit of Maturity
