The Virus

By now, wherever you are, you have heard of the novel coronavirus emerging from Wuhan, China. The virus hunter, Dr. Guan Yi who first helped identifiy the SARS virus of 2003, has pronounced the seriousness of this outbreak as only one who has seen it all can caution, he says that he is scared. The World Health Organization has officially gone on record declaring this to be a worldwide emergency.

As I write this post, I am aware of the number of people in China who are sick growing exponentially to 10,000 cases, and at least twenty countries reporting cases. That is the official tally. The actual number of cases may be much higher. Dr.Yi is right, this is scary isn't it? Oh Lord preserve and protect us!

This is reading like a story of the past, such as the Black Plague or the Flu Pandemic of 1918-1920. I remember reading all the stories of pandemics and epidemics as a child. I read how they began, how they progressed and the cold, hard statistics of death and devastation. We now know that the story of the Wuhan coronavirus will be recorded and preserved in history alongside these other events.

Whereas science and history record the cold, hard facts, it is the charge of religion, literature and poetry to describe the human and spiritual experiences of life. Turning to these stories as a child truly gave me the full context and human toll of pain, suffering, life, death and nobility. It told the story of saints who ran into danger while the rest of the people ran away from it, such as Fr. Damien who served the lepers of Molokai. Read the modern version of Fr. Damien in my blog post about Graham Staines (February 11, 2019).

What of the doctors who served the people dying of the Black Plague and who died doing that? Or the everyday men and women who served their families and communities amid hopeless circumstances and disease outbreaks? These are the heroes of the human story. People who were
serving not because they were ordered to but because they saw the higher purpose and nobility of it all. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.-John 15:13

The Bible tells us many stories of illness, and plague. It talks of service and love. How do we put that all together at a moment like this? What is the Christian response to such a disaster? The grim saga unfolding before us brings out all our instincts for survival. Our instincts to follow God are revealed in what we do next. Are we fighting at the market to get that last cabbage? Or, even though we know that we are sick, do we get on a bus or plane and risk infecting others? These are the normal things that we all feel compelled to do in our fight for survival. It is natural.

Without God’s Holy Spirit within our lives, we would not have the strength to face the sense of calling in those situations. We are called to be light* and salt* where we are planted by God. There could be food shortages but, what we all have can be shared to lightened the burden of hunger. We may want to travel to the best hospital to get treatment for our coronavirus but without traveling under medical supervision we risk other people’s lives. Love your neighbor as yourself.

The Bible tells us that we have an earthly existence and then an eternal existence. We all think we know how that will unfold. Some people tell me, my mother and father lived to be very old, and I will too. Others think themselves too important to die and reason that they should survive because of their great medical skills, artistic mastery or intellectual prowess.

When something like the coronavirus comes along it challenges all our suppositions as well as our spiritual fortitude. If you are reading this gripped with fear, I understand. You may wonder what the truth is about this virus, and may wonder if you are at risk. The media whips people up into a frenzy in the quest to get more viewership. The fact is you would do best to follow standard medical wisdom to reduce your chance of catching a communicable disease. Please wash your hands often under warm water and soap up for about 15 seconds. If you need to sneeze, be thoughtful of others by covering your nose and mouth and sneezing into a tissue, or sneezing into your elbow. Disinfect all surfaces often because the World Health Organization suggests the virus may live for a time on surfaces touched by infected individuals. It is time to bring these simple precautions to our schools, workplace, church, and other public settings. However, Do not fear. -Deuteronomy 31:6

For those in China, where every region now has recorded cases of this virus, the danger is upon them. We are not entitled to another breath of life, but God graciously has endowed us with it and will see us through any and all crisis if we ask Him into our life and make Him our Lord and Savior. As precious as it is, this life isn’t the last step in our journey. We must live our life with integrity and courage as we face uncertain circumstances knowing that when it is our time to die that because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ we can go to be with God. Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.-Psalm 23:4

* To be salt: Salt is a preservative. A believer needs to preserve the good in a world gone wrong.
   To be light refers to bringing light to some dark situations.

Jealousy In The Church

I ran into someone I had not seen for awhile at a New Year's Day Party. I originally met this woman when I was on the Board of a certain non-profit in Westchester County, New York.  It occurred to me at the time how she stood out as a genuinely kind and caring person. She was well-liked and well-respected by those around her.

So, it was quite a surprise to hear that she had recently gotten thrown out of a local church. When she mentioned this at a table crowded with atheists and new age believers, everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to Megan's* story. It was like throwing out some chum for sharks!

I must admit I was curious too. Megan is originally from the Midwest. People from the Midwest generally tend to be nicer than New Yorkers. I think New York just got voted the rudest state in the Union, didn't we? So, Megan is basically the nicest person in Westchester County. What could she have done to raise the ire of the elders or Pastor such that they would ask her to leave?

The story unfolded during the Christmas season. Wow, is it just me or do you already feel the irony of someone getting thrown out of a church at Christmastime. She must really have a side that I have never seen, right?

Here is the story. Megan was the concert master for her churchs' annual Christmas production of Handel's Messiah. Recently, a new choir director had been hired. He wanted to bring in his own orchestra and choir master at that point. Megan told us that, "she was fine with that." That is until some, perhaps well-meaning, members of the congregation told her that she should continue in this long-held position. Megan brooched the topic with the new choir director who acquiesced and agreed to allow her to continue her role in that capacity.

The problem is, that he didn't mean it. Instead, he was deeply insulted. He could not let it go. His ego could not stand it. Megan called it music politics. Sure, music politics at the New York Philharmonic but at a local church? Does this seem like godly behavior to you? Nor did any of the atheists and new age believers think much of the Christian world when they heard this story. They are right too.

After hearing the non-believing crowd tear the church to pieces, it was my turn to chime in and say what I thought. I started by telling Megan that I was sorry that this had happened to her. I continued to explain that, in any church there are a variety of people at varying levels of Christian maturity. We are all a work in progress that God is working on. Being a Christian doesn't mean that you are perfect just forgiven. Within a "body of Christ" we should be accountable to one another in a kind way. The Bible tells us if someone offends us to go and tell him alone. When we do this and solve the problem immediately we show the power of God in our life and the life of the church. Why couldn't they talk this out? 

When are we Christians going to let Christ be the head of our Church? This story highlighted something that we all need to think about. How do we handle the so-called politics of positions at our local church? Are we drunk with the power of our volunteer or paid position? Are there factions in our churches? The effects of factions are damaging and can destroy a church. The Bible uncovers what often lies beneath our disagreements. (For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."-James 3:16.)

I find it incongruent to think of hearing the words from the book of Isaiah proclaiming the coming Messiah sung in a church and imaging the resentment and factional disputes that lie underneath it all. Yet, isn't that what the Bible tells us, all our deeds are as a filthy rag-Isaiah 64:6. That description well fits the effect of what this church did in their musical performance.

We are sinners. This manifests itself in all that we do. We need to understand this, confess our sins to God and ask Him to help us to be more holy. We ought to obey and follow what the Word of God instructs us to do when conflict arises. (To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”- John 8:31-32.) Spoiler Alert: the Word of God never advises fighting over who gets to play the lead role in Handel's Messiah.

I know Megan and her husband have started to attend another church but I invited her to visit my church as well. I am praying that she does not confuse this all too human conflict with who Jesus is and what He did for her, because Jesus was a man just like us in every way except sin. He is her Savior and Lord.



* the names are changed to protect people's identity.