A Great Opportunity

It is what it is.  I know that people have long ago tired of hearing that sentence.  However, it is just as pertinent today as it was years ago.  The corona virus outbreak world-wide is something that must be contended with just as it is.  It is not how we wish it to be, and we many times feel helpless to bring things back under human control.  We are stressed, concerned, and even worried that this thing may take years to recover from, and that the casualties will be high.  And those concerns may be well within the bounds of what actually happens.  We just don’t know now, and won’t know for a time just how this thing shakes out.

I’ve also heard or read many different opinions from a religious perspective regarding this outbreak.  Some say it is a judgment from God upon the present Administration in Washington, D.C.  Others say it is a general world-wide judgment, and the end of the world is coming soon.  Still others say it is a wake-up call from God for the Church to come back to the basics of the Gospel.  And yet others say that God intends for us to evaluate our own lives regarding out complacency, greed, and consumption.

All of those opinions may have some merit.  This IS a good time to do some serious self-evaluation.  This IS a good time to take a look at modern society.  This IS a good time to be sure we are ready for the second coming.

It’s also a great time to be and do the hands and feet of Jesus Christ as we minister to those in need…those who are down…those who have been thrown into the poverty pit by this virus.  It is a great time to give monetarily, give of our time, and give of our love.  It is a time for prayer, meditation, and reflection.

No doubt this experience will change us in one or more permanent ways as well as in several temporary ways.  Just as the events of 9-11 changed us, this experience will as well.  And that can be a good thing.  We may come out of this with a little more humility, a little more compassion, and a little more grace toward others.

So, let’s get through this together.  Let’s continue to pray.  Let’s continue to trust God.  Let’s continue to follow the pattern of Jesus and serve.  We Christians have a great opportunity here.  We need to take full advantage of it.