Insights Into The Covid-19 Church Era –Part XXIII
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” (Philippians 2.3)
People are asking, “Are schools prepared to open up again this fall?” President Trump demands that they will open just as they had closed in March. One problem: Covid-19! Even with the pandemic in full rage in July, people had hoped things would be “normal” by the fall, but that does not look realistic.
Are schools prepared? Yes. Plan A: If the Covid-19 pandemic has not flattened, public schools have no other option to keep everyone safe. Their building will be closed and virtual teacher-to-pupil online instruction will be offered as it had been in March. Plan B: If the pandemic curve has flatten and is falling drastically, public school can then offer limited online training and limited teacher-to-pupil live instruction. Plan C: Only if the pandemic arch flattened and dropped to near “0” levels can a school district risk to go back to the old teacher-to-pupil live instruction people consider as “normal”.
Bottom Line: Our children’s return to school depends on you and me! Many want to live “the good old days” as before the pandemic hit, but now there is a cost to that dream. Is America willing to sacrifice for their youth’s education? During World War I & II, America sacrificed for the boys fighting overseas, and we won the war. People were unwilling to sacrifice for the boys during the Vietnam War, in fact the public opposed it, and we lost. President Trump claims to be a War President on the War against Covid-19, but he has retreated from the battle and the public is no longer united in fighting the war as one. We still want to live the American Dream, but it seems we no longer have the will to sacrifice for it.
The Bible says, “With humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” When Covid-19 first hit, American honored Stay-At-Home orders to protect their elders and those vulnerable. It was a noble cause, and it made me proud, but after awhile many Americans withered when times got rough and opted to run to a pre-Covid-19 lifestyle when restrictions were lifted even though the pandemic was still spreading. Memorial Day vacationing at the beach, parties around the pool, the return to close quarters to drink at bars all opened Pandora’s box for the virus to spread, and it did.
Eventually, something as simple as wearing a mask to be preventive became politicized. All though all sporting events and public concerts were cancelled, churches immediately opened when restrictions were lifted, while not making masks mandatory. The Georgia governor would not make wearing masks mandatory because he felt he could not enforce it. He pleaded with his Georgians to voluntarily wear them. If the will of the people is to get their children back to school, then wearing a protective mask is but a small thing to ask of the public.
How local school districts “do school” will reflect the willingness of the public to sacrifice or their kids. Children are not dumb. They know I their parents and neighbors are behind them. The first response to Covid-19 was to protect seniors and the vulnerable. The response now is to protect our children’s future education. Noble causes always require humility, sacrifice, and a willingness to “regard one another as more important than yourselves.”
The Church needs to lead the way by example. If we want our children back in school, then we need to sacrifice, wear masks, practice social distancing and hand washing. We need to show how to “regard one another as more important than yourselves” in real life. Now is the time to lead.