COVID-19, Panic, and The Church

People are panicking. Unless you just emerged from a cave, you know what I’m talking about. Grocery stores are void of canned goods and toilet paper because so many are stocking up. Every day there are new announcements of cancelations, for fear of spreading this new virus. The airlines have had to cancel thousands of flights, not just to quarantined countries, but domestic flights as well. People do not want to get on an airplane filled with potential COVID-19 carriers. Schools are closing, churches are canceling, conferences and tournaments are shutting down, and the stock market has plummeted.We are not used to this. My generation lived through Measles. My parents lived through Polio. But we’ve not seen a threat like this in decades. SARS and MERS were more deadly, but less infectious and never made it to the US. This virus, however, has taken the world by storm.How are Christians to respond? Especially now, when everyone around us are reacting.Historically, this is when Christians have had their greatest influence with the Gospel. In the early days of the church, Jesus followers stood out from the general population because when plagues devastated communities, Christians were not running in fear. They remained behind and cared for the sick, even exposing themselves in order to do so. And the world was amazed at their faith.Having Jesus should and does make all the difference. While it is important that we be prudent, it is our obligation to demonstrate peace, hope, and love, during a time when everyone else is panicking. If we believe what we say we believe, we know that there is no reason to be anxious. Our God, the creator of all life, also controls every microbe, atom, and molecule. In the words of infectious disease expert, Miguel Núñez, “This is a good time for Christians to demonstrate sanity, peace, and hope, recognizing that our lives do not depend on the entry of a micro-organism into our bodies. Instead, it depends on the God who determines the beginning and the end of our history on earth.” Or better yet, looking to the words of Scripture, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:6). Having the Holy Spirit in us and controlling us, gives us a posture of peace, hope, and love, characteristics that the world desperately needs to see in us, especially at a time like this.“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7