I hope you are well and that in reading this posting there might be some interesting food for thought, and that you take it with peace, in the way I am intending to share it.
Intro....
"Be careful what you ask for", is a common, often light-hearted warning, you've likely heard before. It might have been when you were a kid and wishing you didn't have a brother (to annoy you so much), or when you were tired of your colleagues at work and wishing you had more time with your family. Well, I have good news for you, all those times that we've silently or not so silently wished for more down time in life, that time is here. I know I have both thought and spoken the words "if I could just pause the world and catch up on activities A, B, and C, that would be great". Well, I would say this time in history is about as close to that as any of us might ever get, this side of heaven.
What have you been doing with this time?
While I want to both start and keep this post a light-hearted and yet heart felt conversation, I hope to share some stimulating and perhaps challenging personal thoughts. I completely believe that we are in a notable time in history, but also a pivotal one. The current global reaction to this most recent 'new' virus presents many opportunities, along with the challenges, both big and small. There is the choice in front of each of us as to how we respond in our behavior, but perhaps also more importantly, what we choose to feel and think about what is happening. Actions taken now will have a major impact on the future. Leaders decisions about lock-downs will have far reaching consequences on the global economy. Individuals' choices of personal behavior can literally have life and death consequences. This is not me saying everyone should stay home for months on end and never go out etc.
Rather, my point is one that can only be grasped upon internal reflection. Are you aware of what is driving your daily behavior? Your decisions, even while they seem to be outwardly limited? Your choice to mentally embrace or take action out of fear or freedom will not only have both immediate and long term implications on your situation, but these choices create patterns in your head and heart which will have an impact far deeper and lasting than might be realized. I know because I have lived this before. I've been faced with the choice to fear and respond out of that fear, or to choose into truth, that I do not know what might happen, but my good Father, God, does, and He is victorious, working everything for good. As I often here from a norcal church team of pastors, and strongly agree with - if the outcome is not good, it is not the end.
I speak from a place of great frustration surrounding the poor risk management of global leaders, nausea toward the media choices of what and how to print in today's society, and sadness at the choice of many people to live in fear instead of truth and with a spirit of authority. Yes, I know many of you reading this post are not followers of Jesus Christ, and from that perspective I completely believe that some of my points are not resonating with you, but if you'd like to live in freedom, and grow in peace and hope, go ahead and pick up a Bible and start reading, check out https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2021;&version=NIV, or just start talking to God and see what He says back to you. For those of you who know Christ, this is a golden opportunity for you to choose joy and lean into the peace that passes all understanding.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Do not misunderstand my comments here or in this post. I am not belittling death or any other loss being incurred by the current pandemic, or suggesting to disrespect authorities or the law. I am trying to share thoughts from perhaps a new perspective to you based on my own personal growth living in war zones and with deadly diseases, militia groups, and even local military groups ravaging the communities around me. I too must again make my choice to stand in solidarity with those already grounded in faith and hope of good things to come, and that the sickness and evil in this world is NOT as we are intended to live. We are designed for greatness. We are were created in the image of the almighty God who can, who will, and who is, working what the evil one intended to destroy, our good God is able to make beauty, glory, and hope come out of it.
Personal Context
I am a thinker, much more than a feeler. I take action far more based on reason and logic than on my emotions (this of course has it's positives and negatives). This tendency has definitely contributed to my ability to work in challenging environments, war zones with death and destruction very near to myself and those I am entrusted to lead and care for, centers for deadly disease outbreaks, areas in famine and great distress, and communities with general insecurity from sometimes unidentifiable yet incredibly hostile and active well armed groups. I have not only worked in these places, but I have been a key person of the risk management team(s) (think, security and safety team). I recognize well that my experiences are unusual and I have practice at living in uncertain times, evaluating contexts, and accepting what I can control, and being able to 'make peace' with the fact that I do not know control everything that I wish I could. But that decisions and actions still must move ahead.
A miniature lesson in Risk Management
Point one, think about what is going on around you, gather known facts, decide what you can do in your control and leave the rest.While all of this may be different from your background, I absolutely believe that you are capable of living without fear both today and during whatever might happen tomorrow or next week, next month, or next year. Think with me for a moment from a purely head-centric point of view. Some Ebola stains kill 90% of those infected, most recent outbreak was closer to 65%. Cancer is responsible for 1 in every 6 deaths, Cholera kills, at the low end, at a rate of 20% of those infected, current rate in our situation is well below 5%. Strictly statistically speaking, risks of serious illness/death are relatively very low (Again, I am NOT saying this does or should undervalues those who do get sick/die). But my point is not to do a stats analysis on the worst case scenario happening and then simple carry on. My point is that when there is a risk of something bad happening, it is very possible to work over the problem to understand if and what real dangers might exist and how to best manage, avoid, or transfer those risks. While ever person does this intuitively, I know many do not do it consciously.
This above, is your first lesson in Risk management, if you have never had one. You do this constantly in life, but may not realize it. When you choose to put on your seat belt in the car, you are mitigating the risk of death in a car accident by choosing to wear the safety belt. By not traveling to Sudan in the middle of an ethnic conflict you are avoiding the risk of harm by the decision not to go. By driving your child to school instead of putting them on the school bus, you avoid the risks of him getting bullied on the school bus, but you increase the risk of him being involved in a car accident by his increased time in a car. Of course there are many, many other factors at play in these decisions. Which is exactly the case with this pandemic. There are many factors at play. There is not single, certain, perfect decision for a nation, a state, or a household. Risk management is about understanding what factors matter, when, that context is key, and that risks ARE different for different individuals, families, countries, etc.
Point two, take action, or not, based on truth, not on fear. Consider the plight of other nations apart from the current pandemic to help you put things in context.
Aside from the headcentric commentary above, if you are in a developed nation, I encourage you to consider what it is like for the billions of people who live in contexts where deadly diseases are a far more regular part of life than in the western world. I encourage you to deeply question the messages and how especially western media is communicating about the current 'crisis'. Consider, how you might be responding if 99.9% of the current western new articles were not only focused on the virus and its consequences, but rather they continued to cover other stories and events around the globe?
When was the last time you read or a news story not related somehow to the pandemic? Next time you turn on the TV, scroll through the internet or click on your phone, see what you can find. I say this as a genuine challenge. I myself am constantly searching around for unrelated stories, because make no mistake, there are many things still going in the world. You may not agree, but to me the media has been consumed beyond reason and often fear-mongering during recent weeks. What is this doing to our hearts and minds? What has it done already? Who are you becoming and what are you believing by reading and listening to this? What if we stepped back and considered the bigger picture?
You are a child of the King of Kings, you have authority over this earth and everything in it. You have the power to chose life and truth. Are there bad things in the world? Yes. But everything in your life as a believer is able to be worked for good by the Creator of the Universe.
We are each on our own journey toward eternity. We are given the gift and opportunity to accept great freedom and have the choice each moment to keep it or let it be stolen by the evil one, via lies we accept, or fear we allow to stay in our hearts or mind. I speak these things from personal experience, of times when I know I have let lies take root in my mind and control my actions in ways I should not have allowed.
There are times of great struggle and yet, each moment is an opportunity to live in freedom, grace, joy, and excitement as what is to come. I chose truth, and faith in what God tells me --even if I do not see it or feel it. Because He knows, and He is good, and He is truth, He is God and I am not, He has already claimed victory and I know I am on the winning side.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
