We've Been Exposed

Hasn’t this past week been bizarre?

I’ve seen some incredibly amazing things happen. I’ve seen compassion in action! I’ve seen people operating as the church as they’ve made grocery runs for others, supported local businesses, and have helped those who have lost their jobs during this peculiar season.

I’ve also seen some incredibly selfish things happen. I’ve seen panic in action! I’ve seen people operating out of fear and worry.

For the first time in a long time, we as Americans have been hit with an inconvenience. For years, people in other countries have had to deal with civil wars, corrupt government, famines, conflict between neighboring countries, women in the Middle East having zero rights and sold as property, girls being aborted in India and China just because of their gender, etc. etc. There are a lot of bad things happening around the world that has put this quarantine into perspective for me. 

Honestly, I don’t believe the issue is having more faith or removing our fear. The issue is we’ve been exposed. For the first time, we’re being backed into a corner as the spread of this virus has revealed to us Americans something we never thought we lacked - a true sense of compassion. We hear about the chaos others are dealing with but we just scroll or worse - repost/reshare without actually getting involved in the solution. If you’ve ever reposted/reshared anything but haven’t gotten involved in what was reposted/reshared, you’re a part of the problem. Awareness is great, but awareness without action only makes us feel like we did something when in fact we didn’t. We’re freaking out because of a quarantine in a well insulated home with running water, electricity, and an endless supply of Netflix shows. Yet, millions are suffering around the world without access to these amenities. They’ve lost dignity as everything about their humanity has been stripped. Don’t believe me? Google the current state of Yemen, Syria, Ukraine, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, etc... we’ll quickly gain perspective.

For the first time, Gen Z/Millennials have been put in a situation where we as a society are faced with a universal threat to our way of life and life itself. I’m angry at myself as someone who teaches on the compassion of Jesus and yet has been exposed for my own lack of it as a whole. If Coronavirus has showed us one thing, it’s that we truly lack compassion. We tend to look out for ourselves in the midst of chaos. May we declare a change in the way we interact with human beings - a change that lasts longer than this virus - a change that makes the world beautiful again. May we rise to the opportunity at hand to love like Jesus. May this be what finally unites us. May this be what finally slows us down to enjoy our family, friends, and neighbors. The world is watching and waiting for the church to be the church.