“I think we’ve all felt a bit like someone grabbed the remote control for our lives and pressed the “pause” button.”
Greetings to all my socially-distant readers. We are now well into our pandemic coping skills. Most of the shock of our jostled, new lives has worn off and, for the most part, we’ve stopped asking the question, “Is this really happening?” Every last one of us has received that answer with a thunderous “yes!” We’ve had to distance, quarantine, mask, stay home, sanitize, rearrange, postpone, cancel and make do in ways we never imagined necessary. We’ve been on the receiving end of an unwanted education in infectious disease control and have watched with wide-eyed disbelief as the rug has slowly been pulled out from under our great nation. And, in the process, I think we’ve all felt a bit like someone grabbed the remote control for our lives and pressed the “pause” button.
For most of us, our freedoms have never been so hindered (side note—first world privilege). Our store shelves have never been so picked over (again—we’ve had it so easy). Our job opportunities have never been so slim. We are limited in unprecedented ways today. Despite all this, we are not incapacitated.
With weeks under our belts, we have settled into our quarantine routines. We’ve rallied our American ingenuity and transformed spaces in our homes into offices and schools and video conferencing centers. We’ve learned what it’s like to spend long amounts of time with those we live with—their inescapable quirks, their unrelenting presence. We’ve dusted off board games and learned (or re-learned) how to cook homemade meals together. We’ve gotten by on less.
New challenges are breeding innovative solutions. People are adopting creative methods of connecting online by reading stories, conducting meetings and holding churches services. Restaurants are implementing no-contact take-out options for their customers. Retailers are shifting exclusively to internet sales and enticing buyers with free shipping. We may be knee-deep in pandemic slog, but we’re determined to find ways to keep life moving forward.
Perhaps most heartening of all are the glimpses of kindness and heroism we’ve recently observed: health care workers receiving applause for their front-line battle against the virus, manufacturers re-structuring production lines to make badly-needed medical supplies, restaurant owners feeding kids who are missing school meals, musicians performing free online concerts, stores designating hours for at-risk shoppers, quarantined residents singing from their balconies, and people at home sewing protective face masks by the droves to name just a few. We have had a front row seat to humanity at some of its best in a time when the world has needed it most.
Not surprisingly, these days are also filled with unparalleled opportunities to act on our highest calling as believers—to love people. Even in our socially distant spaces, we each have something to give right now. You may be able to shop for an elderly neighbor, donate blood, meet a financial need, walk someone’s dog, or simply phone a friend to let them know you care. With a watchful eye you will find the chance to extend love where it’s needed. These days of waiting for the pandemic to be over are not throw-away days—they matter. Our lives have not been paused—just re-routed.
We are breaking ground here with unprecedented situations and are living through a marked moment in history. Let’s consider what will be said of how we walked through this time. Let’s be the church at its best—unhindered by planned programs and predictable outreach. Let’s do the unexpected, step outside the box, and just love people like Jesus would. Let’s be His hands and feet like never before. Let’s open our hearts during this pandemic pause. With virtual hands extended, the world is ready and waiting for the Savior’s touch.