Over the past few weeks I’ve been noticing a trend developing. Thoughts are formed about this current covid-19 situation, trenches are dug, and the war of opinions is underway.
Should I wear a mask or shouldn’t I?
Do I really need to keep social distancing from people?
Can I trust the government to make the best decisions? How about the medical community? What about my church?
The other night I went to Kroger to pick up something, and 6 young people ranging in age from roughly 11 to 16 saw me in my mask. One of them asked, “What’s with all these people wearing masks?” Recently someone in my family wore a mask while shopping, and a man got right in her face, challenging her decision to wear a mask in public. He was aggressive and eventually walked away after making his point. His demeanor reminded me of people’s very deeply held opinions right now and in that case how people shouldn’t respond to others in our current situation.
But one of the questions that is most important is: How should we as followers of Jesus Christ respond to one another both in and out of the church right now?
To help answer that question in the days ahead I would like to continue my recent exploration of the Fruit of the Spirit, as well as other lists of virtues in the New Testament, to challenge us as followers of Christ to best represent Him and bring glory to Him in the reopening of the economy and the church. My goal will be to personalize each fruit, to figure out applications during this time of reopening, and to offer as much counsel as I can for myself, my family and for all of you who read along.
In close today let me share a link with you to an article on the Gospel Coalition website titled “Church, Don’t Let Coronavirus Divide You.” The author describes our need for patience with one another during this time. I will be back on the blog tomorrow with thoughts about love. Until then continue praying for our church leaders, our government leaders, our medical community workers and one another.