THOUGHTS ON THE COVID-19 CRISIS

Note: The thoughts expressed in this blog post are from me personally, and do not represent the opinions of my employer (Hope Church Albany)

Having spent five plus years in higher education, coupled with earning two master’s degrees (one each in theology and business), I believe I have a sincere and significant appreciation for advanced academics. While it is too early to accurately evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic has been handled at a state and federal level, I would contend that the major discrepancy between the projections and reality, be a point of close examination, at a later time.

For several weeks, our politicians have been telling us that they are relying on the best science, including medical expertise, that is available in the world. Based upon these experts’ opinions, decisions have been made to partially shutdown the economic and educational systems through the USA, and even internationally. Trillions of dollars are being spent, within our own country, to mitigate the dire consequences of these shutdowns. All the stimulus money is adding to our national debt, to be paid by future generations, if it will ever be paid.

The strongest argument being made by politicians, who claim they are relying on the prognostications and predictions of the experts, is that extreme measures must be taken to protect life. My question is: Whose lives are they protecting?

I am most definitely a proponent of protecting life. What I find so astounding, and this point is not being raised in the public dialogue about the crisis, are the implications of the decisions to be made. Let me be clear, very clear, what I will say next has nothing to do with protecting the profits of large corporations.

Any decision dealing with the C-19 crisis is a choice as to who will suffer; precisely, who will be protected and who will be exposed to unknown and unavoidable consequences.

Consequences of partially shutting down the US economy

There will be businesses, across all sectors, who will not reopen, and jobs will be lost. From a financial perspective, this will increase unemployment payments and eventually welfare, and all the associated benefits. Yes, this is financial, but it’s more than that.

When a person [or family] in poverty is unable to work, there are direct consequences across multiple areas: housing, food, physical health, mental health, family stability, substance use, crime, etc.

From a health perspective, the effect of the shutdown, will have massive impacts. Those impacts will be in a variety of areas, to include, but not be limited to mental health; abuse, including abuse against children; substance abuse; and consequences of stress upon physical health. Stress is a major factor in many physical illnesses.

The longer the shutdown is held in place the deeper and broader the impacts will be.

To those who argue they are protecting from the loss of life due to the virus, I would suggest you are not fully considering the consequences.

When mayors, governors, and even the POTUS, makes a COVID-19 related policy decision, they are CHOOSING WHO WILL SUFFER.

To disregard or ignore the consequences of shutting down the economic systems of states and our nation, is to be basing decisions on incomplete information. Yes, I understand that lives will be lost due to the COVID-19 virus, but I am not blind to children who are being sexually abused, women who are suffering domestic violence at greater levels, people in despair who are committing suicide, individuals who are becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol (due to boredom, seeking an escape, or returning to a past habit), and other dire consequences.  To those who allege I am exaggerating, contact me in six months, and I believe that we will see that more people will be negatively impacted by the shutdown (both directly and indirectly), than those who were impact by the disease itself. Furthermore, it won’t even be close. I hope I am wrong on this.

Admittedly, there are no easy decisions. I pray for our elected officials and medical experts. I asked God to give them wisdom beyond their experience and education.

Consequences of partially shutting down the US educational system

Teachers, whether public or private, have an incredibly difficult job. That would be an accurate description even before the C-19 pandemic surfaced. Now that most schools have either pivoted over to online/digital learning, or have completely shuttered their doors for the year, it is appropriate to consider the impacts this may have.

In my role in higher education, I conducted extensive research into online learning, as modality. What I discovered, and to an extent was surprised to find, was better students often excel in online classes. This was attributed to factors such as: self-motivation, the ability to learn, the ability to be structured and disciplined, etc. On the other hand, the average or nominal student will struggle or suffer in an online environment.

Online learning is a newer educational model. I think it would be safe to say that most teachers were trained to be in a classroom, not in front of a computer teaching their students. I have master’s in business administration that was an entirely online degree program. I speak from first-hand experience, in saying that I have witnessed PhDs and doctorate level professors who excel in a classroom, severely struggle in teaching an online class. Logically, if teachers are struggling, students will struggle.

While it will be difficult to assess the full impact of C-19 policy decisions upon students, it would be irresponsible to assume that students will be unscathed. Education experts have identified academic skills that are acquired at specific age levels. Precious months are being lost in the academic development of the next generation, which may lead to long-term damage. For example, I read recently an article that suggested research shows that children acquire the ability to read between 7 and 9 years old. If they do not learn to read during this window of time, there is limited success in teaching reading as they become older.

To governmental leaders

I implore our governmental officials at all levels to make decisions for the greater good of our nation. No matter your decisions, as I stated earlier, you will be choosing who will suffer. There is not an option that is free of significant consequences. There is not an option that does not involve the loss of life and long-term implications. This is the harsh and hard reality of a pandemic. I appeal to you to protect life. Know that whatever path you choose, it will be criticized and complimented. Lastly, be very careful with whom you turn to for counsel, for even the experts are proving themselves to be wrong. The decisions you are making right now, on behalf of your constituents, are far too important to get wrong or to base upon political motivations. Ask God for help, and He will give you the wisdom you need in this very critical moment.

GOD'S WORD ON CLIMATE CHANGE

In recent years there has been a constant stream of stories in the news regarding climate change. There are some who contend that earth dwellers face an “existential threat” in the next 12 years. I am not adequately informed to make definitive statements regarding climate change, though as a self-avowed ‘weather nerd’, I have noticed how meteorologists often have difficulty predicting what the weather is going do three days into the future.

One additional thought before I move to the point of today’s blog. If those of us who call earth home are facing catastrophic change by 2030, then one would think that there would more significant changes happening in the climate right now. Living in the mid-Willamette Valley of Oregon, I am surrounded by farms. As far as I can tell, farming is going well. There has been an explosion of new hazelnut orchards all around us. These farmers are counting on the climate continuing to provide ideal growing conditions for the immediate future.

When Jesus walked the earth, he told us what to expect in the ‘last days,’ or as things would be moving towards a conclusion of life on earth, as we know it. Matthew 23 records His words. Jesus specifically mentions several things that will transpire: Verse 6: “And you will hear of wars and threats of wars”; Verse 7: “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” It is what He said next that I was reminded of this morning, Verse 7: “There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.” Famine is directly climate-related, as an extended drought grips a region of the world. Famine could also be caused by an infestation of insects (i.e. locusts), which could be weather-related, or due to political unrest, which would not be weather-related.

In Luke 21 Jesus spoke of the last days, uttering these words: “25 And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” Many of these signs are directly related to climate and conditions on earth. The whole chapter refers to different signs of the end. I encourage you to read it.

There are many other passages that speak prophetically about the end. If we begin to see increasing climate-related changes in the next few years, God-fearing people will have to discern whether the source is natural (of nature) or supernatural (of God). The stage has definitely been set, so if God does choose to make these the “last days,” with all of the associated climate-related signs prophesied in the Bible, there will be a strong movement to attribute the changes to climate. With the amount of attention climate-change receives today, I think it is in the realm of possibility that these changes could trigger massive changes in world governments (stronger centralized control, greater restrictions on corporations and individuals), including major economic impacts.

I close out today’s blog with these words from Jesus (Luke 21 New Living Translation): 34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING

In my previous post, I reflected on Genesis 1:2 and the conditions in the world prior to Creation. The short version is that “earth was formless and empty.” This one verse contains the equation that makes all the difference: Nothing + Someone [God] = Something. In this case, it was something big, as God the Creator spoke all of Earth’s creation into existence. That is the Creation story. Every time we experience God’s creation, the beauty and variety, we should take it as a divine reminder that when God is near, even when there is nothing, He can do something.

There are different phrases I have heard people use to describe when they have reached the ‘end’ of themselves: “I’ve got nothing” or “I’m gassed” or “This is the end of me” or, in a moment of personal defeat, “I’m done.” Most of us have likely expressed something similar in our lives. For some, it may have been very recently. Life is hard. Sometimes we receive unexpected news, or life takes a devastating turn, or we are pushed to the edge of our emotions and our capacity to persevere is depleted. As we assess our losses and focus on the little or nothing we have left, that is when despair and hopelessness enters the picture. Our perspective is dimmed by the surrounding darkness, to the point we don’t see that Someone is still very much “hovering” (Genesis 1:2) over our lives. The familiar axiom is: ‘No God, no peace; know God, know peace.” The word, HOPE, could be inserted in the place of peace to refresh our perspective, as well.

May today’s blog post be a simple reminder to you and I, that God doesn’t need anything to create a miracle in our lives. He created the world from nothing. It is likely that your ‘nothing’ is more of a feeling than a fact. That said, even if you are at the place of nothing, that does not hinder God from creating something new in your life.

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17 New International Version (NIV)

NOTHING TO SOMETHING

We are nearing the growing season here in Oregon. Within several months home gardens will be sprouting from depths of dark soil. From small seeds, life will emerge and through exposure to sun and water, delicious vegetables will eventually be harvested. I am still somewhat in awe at the explosion of life that germinates from such a small seed, even though I have witnessed this miracle a multitude of times.

There is another miracle I want to reflect on today. This is the miracle of something coming from nothing—from nothing to something. Most of us have been in that place where we have nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. Life’s road has led us to a dead end. Our dreams are dead, our hope has been crushed, we have lost our ability to see beyond our painful present.

The second verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:2 (New Living Translation), reads: “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.” This is an apt description of ‘nothing’ or ‘next to nothing.’ Or is it? The remaining portion of the verse offers a critical detail: “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” Even though creation was in a state of ‘nothing’, something, make that Someone, was suspended over the nothingness. When the Spirit of God is present, there is a miracle in the making; nothing is about to become something.

I want to continue this thought in my next blog post, but for now I want to encourage you to consider what Paul, the first Christian missionary, wrote in his letter to the Colossians (1:15-17 New Living Translation):

¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

¹⁶ for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 

¹⁷ He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 

THOUGHTS IN THE NIGHT

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”  Matthew 10:28 New Living Translation

Do you ever have a seemingly random thought intrude on your sleep? Last night that happened to me. While sleeping, the thought occurred to me that we often are concerned about things related to our health and happiness, when we need to give more attention to the condition of our soul. Matthew 10:28 (see above) was part of this nighttime thought process. Recently I have been thinking about what I perceive to be a lack of conversation about and focus upon eternity or eternal things. In our rapid paced world, the emphasis is often placed on what will make us happy in the moment or how can we experience the next adventure. This attitude and approach to life may be as common among professed followers of Jesus, as the general population. Whether we are focused on what we fear (“…those who want to kill your body”) or what is fun, we are often consumed by the ‘now.’ Driven by the desire to live the moment, we make decisions that we think will help us avoid those things we fear and steps towards acquiring what is fun. Concerns about the condition of our soul are given very little attention, if any at all.

Jesus chooses to use words, in Matthew 10:28, that are alarming: afraid, kill, soul, fear, destroy, and hell. If those listening to Jesus, when he first spoke these words, were drifting off to sleep or distracted by other thoughts, he likely regained their full attention.

As you go through your day or week, do you consider the impact your decisions will have on your soul? Our SOUL is the part of us that lives on in eternity. It is our soul that is the residence of our emotions, desires, affections, and dislikes. The Bible sometimes uses the word, HEART, when referring to our soul.

Our best decisions come from having a proper reverence and respect for God. In the Bible, this is referred to as the fear of God. If we are lacking in the fear of God, we will live recklessly [thoughtlessly] and make decisions that will be detrimental to our soul.

When making decisions, the highest consideration should be given to how the choice will impact the condition of our soul. In some respects, this is a long-term view, by considering the eternal impact made by a choice, but it will also lead to the greatest short-term benefits. We may think that the path to what we want is by doing what we want; we, more than our Creator God, know what is best and how to acquire it. I think there are many people who think they are smarter than God. God, save us from this self-deception! We should keep in mind that a prideful person is so proud, they are usually blind to the extent of their blindness.

If you and I will “fear only God” we will make decisions that will lead to our best life now and in eternity; our soul will thank us. May the Lord help each of us today!

“Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”  Proverbs 9:10 New Living Translation

OBEDIENCE IS NOT AGREEMENT

In my last post, “Life Isn’t a Greenhouse” 9/26/18, I started looking at how each of us navigates life when conditions are less than ideal or even extremely difficult. Even though life is very blessed (if we’re looking at the good things and not fixated on the bad) and the benefits are bountiful (Psalm 103), we frequently find ourselves facing very hard things. My experience is that the blessings and difficulties of life most often occur in the same season. Life is never ‘all good’ nor ‘all bad.’ Rather than becoming dominated by the hard things, to the point of discouragement or disobedience, it is important for us to understand how to continue to move forward in our daily lives.

“Obedience” is a common word. Most of us likely assume that we know what it means. The Oxford Dictionary provides the following definition: “Compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.” That definition contains several words that may elicit a strong internal reaction: compliance, submission, and authority.

It seems like in our world today, obedience has been reduced to agreement. If I agree with the order, request, or law (using the words in the above definition), then, and only then, will I obey. If I don’t agree, I will resist or rebel. If I think there is a better way, or I have alternative idea, I will argue my point, sometimes very aggressively. 

Have you noticed there’s a lot of ‘attitude’ in our world today? “Don’t tell me what to do!” “I’ll live the way I want to live” and “You don’t control me.” Personally, I don’t see these attitudes making things better, even for those who hold them. I believe the opposite is true.

The Dutch researcher, Geert Hofstede, has done an extensive study of the six factors distinguishing cultures around the world. One of the factors is INDIVIDUALISM. It may or may not surprise you that the United States is ranked as the most individualistic nation in the world, of the 66 countries studied. While there may be ways to ‘spin’ this as a positive characteristic, there is a significant downside to living with an individualistic mindset.

I have observed two ways individualism impacts obedience:

One, people obey to the degree that it benefits them personally. That is what happens when we are controlled by individualism. Sayings, such as: “Do you” or “Get yours” or “It’s my right” are far too frequently the mantras we hear today.

Two, people obey when the feel like it. Emotions, far more than any type of moral or truth-based values, influence obedience. Emotion-based obedience is dangerous because our emotions so frequently change.

In Hofstede’s study, COLLECTIVISM is the contrasting characteristic to individualism. As I understand it, the general idea of collectivism is to seek the common good. The Central American country of Guatemala excels in this quality. It is the idea of thinking of others, and not just oneself.

In my next post we will continue to explore obedience, submission, and control. It’s possible there is a better way to live, a better mindset in which to experience life, than what you have previously known and practiced.

IDEA: Ask the Lord to show you someone you can serve today. I’m thinking about an expressed kindness. You get bonus points if your serving includes both word and deed (say something and do something). If you’re going through a difficult time, choose two people. I believe it will make a difference in your mindset.

LIFE ISN'T A GREENHOUSE

09.26.18

Though I am not an expert in greenhouses, I think I understand how they generally function. The purpose of a greenhouse is to create the ideal conditions for growth, regardless of the season outside the greenhouse. Heat and humidity are controlled to produce the ideal environment for growing things.

Maybe you’ve noticed that life doesn’t always provide us with what would be considered ideal conditions. There is often something or someone in our life contributing to a less than ideal environment for our growth and thriving.

What we do when we face these less than ideal conditions will determine, to a great degree, whether will thrive in life.

The dangerous and deceptive thing is that we often think we know what the conditions should be in our life. We think we know what would work for our best benefit. So, we take over management of our ‘greenhouse’ [life] and we look to acquire what we think we need to create the ideal conditions. Our prayers often become instructions for God, so He will know what to do; like He needs our wisdom, or our world may fall apart. 😊

In life I have been humbled many times. That which I thought was the ‘worst,’ God worked for His best in my life. That which I thought would be ‘best’ for my life, ended up not being helpful and, at times, even a hindrance to God’s purposes.

The stages of a seed provide a powerful life lesson. Before a seed ever sprouts [germinates] it is placed in the ground and “dies”.

In John 12:24 we find these words of Jesus: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (NIV) 

Buried, surround by soil and shrouded by darkness, the seed has all the appearances of something that has died. Not so. It is the first stage in the new life that will sprout from the seed. You may be in a ‘dark place’ right now and feel like you’ve been ‘buried’ by life. Remember, God has placed His seed (His precepts and promises) in you to grow, so give it time.

What is so shocking about what Jesus is saying, is that very few of us share His view of death. It is hard for us to comprehend the stages of a seed, where the process of life begins with the dying of the seed.

Tomatoes are an item that are often grown in a greenhouse. If it were winter, we could probably find a greenhouse tomato in the produce section of the grocery store. The funny thing about tomatoes grown in a greenhouse is they, as you would expect, have many of the features of a tomato (color, shape, size, etc.). But if you are given the choice between eating a greenhouse tomato or one grown in the ground, there is no comparison. One can immediately tell the difference in flavor, texture, and juiciness. Nothing beats a sun-ripened tomato!

As I see it, we each face a choice: Will we try to live in a greenhouse (a place where we control all the conditions) OR are we willing to ‘die’ in the ground (so we can live)?

In my next post I want to explore topics, such as: obedience, submission, and control, specifically, in the context of when conditions of our life are less than ideal.