Pandemic life is kind of intense. And, it just keeps going. The highs are high, and the lows are low as people adjust to a lot of changes in a relatively short period of time. Navigating life is just a bit more complex than it was in 2019.
Relationships fall into the category of “complex” during the best of times, so making our way through the pandemic with our relationships intact may be the most challenging obstacle we face in 2020 and beyond. The way people have chosen to respond to the pandemic is as diverse as people are themselves. We’ve got a spectrum of responses, all the way from “throw caution to the wind” to “hunker down.”
Depending on what side of the issues you are on, it is tempting to judge others and to develop strong (negative) feelings about them. It would be too easy for someone who is trying to be responsible to dismiss people that they see not taking precautions as “selfish” or possibly “stupid.” On the other hand, it would be just as easy for the “live a little” crowd to view those who are handling things differently as “self-centered” and “scared.”
The thing is that Satan would love for us to be divided because of a bad situation. His main job is to “steal, kill and, destroy,” especially our relationships, because our relationships with God and with others are God’s primary priority.
From Matthew 22: “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.””
All the Law and the Prophets hang on how we treat one another.
Sometimes, I struggle with loving others. I get angry at them, or hurt, or start to judge them. I can easily see that “they” are the problem. When it comes down to it, though, I am a sinful person. I sin in a variety of ways that I can’t even see. I have been a stinker to God many times in my life, and He has every right to be angry with me or to dismiss me from His life. He isn’t he one who has done anything wrong. And yet, He loves me.
Somehow, He is able to see beyond what I do and even who I am to love me. Just because I have put my faith in Christ, it’s like God is no longer able to see my sin, because all He does or sees when He looks at me is the love that Christ had for me (all people) on the cross. This is grace.
During difficult seasons, it is much easier to magnify the difficulty than to magnify God. (At least, that’s the most natural response.) But, if we can make this a season of grace, we will magnify God, even through the difficulty. I’ll end with a passage from Colossians 3 that seems fitting and encouraging:
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
I’m praying that we, the Church, can put on love today. Let’s make the Covid-19 era, above all else, a time of grace.
My View from the Eagle's Nest 