Insights Into The Covid-19 Church Era –Part XVII
“Moses saw the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and become a laughing stock to their enemies” (Exodus 32:25)
We usually run toward that which is familiar and comfortable to us. When Covid-19 hit, it tore us away from that which we were comfortable. Schools, churches, bars, restaurants, barbershops and beauty saloons all closed. Isolation became the side effect of self-quarantining.
I am now starting to understand the impact prisoners must face when solitarily confined. Long periods of isolation can produce disastrous psychological effects. As the Covid-19 self-quarantine wore on, people became restless. As soon a the pandemic curve flattened, even there was still a pandemic of viral cases, people began “running wild,” as they ran back to their old wineskins, old habits, and old institution that had earlier made them happy. They were willing to run towards the “familiar” rather than towards the “new normal”. Instantly forgetting why they were self-quarantining, they thirsted to return to their old lifestyles.
The results: The pandemic grew, spread, and spiked, and infected millions more!
America, who was respected as a world leader in fighting infectious disease “became the laughing stock to their enemies.” As much of the world’s infectious curves flattened and diminished to safe levels, America’ grew. Rather than joining the cause, America withdrew. We became isolationists. The virus’ most effective weapon, isolation, was defeating America.
Where was the American church in all this? They too ran in mass from isolation. Then ran back to congregate in mass on Sundays as had been their habit, their old, familiar wineskin. Meanwhile sporting events totally shut down, concerts were cancelled, and restrictions were put on group size at 25 or less. The church defied those restriction claiming they had Constitutional rights in spite warnings from local and national healthcare systems not to meet in large groups.
Unlike the 1st century church that had no buildings or religious facilities yet evangelized the entire known world of its time, the Covid-19 era church chose to run to their old wineskins, their old institutions, their old buildings and met in large numbers, becoming stewing pots for the Covid-19 Pandemic. Pews are not very conducive for social distancing. Elbow bumping instead of hugging or shaking hands was not “cool”. Intimate praying, close personal counseling, and the laying on o hands breaks all social distancing rules. Weddings, funerals, potluck dinners, etc. became Covid-19 breeding grounds. Even though masks were available when entering, many opted not to wear them. Why?
While many non-Christians complied to the CDC Guidelines of social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, and self-quarantining, Christians rebelled against government leaders who were making decisions for the public’s welfare and to save lives. The government was not persecuting the church nor its leaders, yet Pro-Life Christians were unwilling to sacrifice a little discomfort and voluntarily distance themselves from old wineskins for the safety of others, especially the elderly and vulnerable. Those outside the church were shocked at their attitude, and couldn’t understand why,
I too wonder why the church has ignored the passage in Philippians 2, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also the interest of others.. but (Jesus) made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has revealed the church’s desire to return to old wineskins instead of embracing new one. Instead of evangelizing and serving the world outside their church walls, they opted to run back inside those walls and expect their clergy to do it for them. How discusting! Instead of practicing Matthew 25 of feeding the hungry, clothing the homeless, giving water to the thirsty, taking care of the widow, orphans, elderly, needy, etc., and becoming advocates for those in prison, which is risky, the church has run for cover inside its buildings and institutions, isolating itself from the world. Our Covid-19 response should be running towards Jesus and His mission for us on earth, serving each other and others in our communities, not running away from them.
