I was recently in a local bookstore looking for a cookbook I was interested in, and thought I would just browse a bit in the religion section, out of professional curiosity you know. I came across a little book by one of my favorite theologians, N. T. Wright, entitled God and the Pandemic. I bought it with the cookbook, equally valid coping mechanisms in a chaotic world.
It is a helpful book, and makes two points that I have been resting with in my prayer. The first is that we should be mourning this pandemic as a people of God. Not looking for fault, but holding people in prayer and expressing our grief. He also talks at length, with scriptural reference, about how our job as Christians is to help, to do the work of relief and healing.
I have heard from multiple sources recently how pandemics were not unusual in the ancient world. Christians set themselves apart because they didn’t flee but stayed to help. They established hospitals and fed the hungry. It moved people’s hearts and was one of the reasons that the church caught on. People were affected by the witness of generosity and caring.
I am not suggesting you do anything risky or unadvisable. Please be clear.
But I am also thinking that there is a lot of sin and evil that hasn’t taken a break during Covid. There is still racism, there is still poverty, there is still human trafficking, there is still domestic violence. I am lucky enough to be in my warm and peaceful house sitting this out, but that is not true for most people. I am definitely privileged.
So what do we do? First, stay informed. We are sponsoring a training on human trafficking next Thursday at 6:00 on Facebook Live. If you have children, grandchildren, neighbors who are vulnerable, sign on and be informed. One of our campus ministry students was talking last year about knowing where not to go in Youngstown to prevent being kidnapped. This is real and it is here.
Next, check on your neighbors. Violence knows no boundaries, no income limits, no education limits. We often don’t realize that friends, family and neighbors are being abused, or suffering from depression and anxiety, or hungry. Call, check in. Don’t pretend everything is fine or you can’t do anything about it.
Finally, take care of your own mental health and spiritual life and physical well being. It’s hard but be kind to yourself. If we aren’t well, we can’t help others. If we aren’t aware of the log in our own eye, we won’t see the splinter in another’s eye. Not to judge, but to care and help and love.
Let’s pay attention to what is happening in our world even in the midst of this pandemic. We are called as Christians to actively build the Kingdom of God. And we need each other.