Have you seen it?

Have you seen the sheer strength of fear? If you’ve been paying attention at all, you have. Over the last few weeks, the world at large has collectively lost its mind over the coronavirus. Stores have closed. Professional teams are holding games without the fans. Even my local pharmacy has imposed a “one unit per person” limit on all hand sanitizer, wipes, and hand soaps. This is a weird time, my friends.

Political pundits, professional bloggers, and our uncles are spreading their conspiracy theories about what is actually happening: is the virus as severe as the media makes it sound? Is the media revving up the fear train to drive ratings? Are politicians paying off the media to do it? Yes. No. Maybe. Who knows?

All I know for sure is this: it’s time for Christians to be brave.

Come on, brothers and sisters. Moments in history like this one are where the church can shine. This is our time. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. I know that’s true because Jesus said it. And it’s especially true if that town refuses to freak out while the rest of the towns surrounding it are smashing the panic button. This kind of situation calls for the salt of the earth to do its thing.

What we’re witnessing right now is quite simply the spirit of fear and timidity. Caution makes sense. Fear throws sense out the window. And God taught us something powerful about this:

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

What would it look like for us Christians in the midst of the coronavirus threat and the resulting hysteria to demonstrate power, love, and self-discipline? Dream with me for a moment:

Instead of allowing fear to paralyze us, what if Christians the world over became known for blazing a path of power instead of shaking in panic? What if we were people of action in a time of crisis? We can do this. Fear might stop us cold, but power pushes us forward.

What if instead of pulling back, Christians became known for reaching out? Jesus touched the leper. Compassion drove him there. Can it drive us there now? I believe it can. Instead of looking at others with eyes of suspicion, what if we looked at them with eyes of compassion? Fear might turn us inward, but love propels us outward.

And what if instead of spreading half truths and hysterical nonsense, Christians were known at this time for speaking words of peace and calm? What if we used our social media accounts to re-courage the world instead of compounding the damage with every “share”? Fear might make us irrational, but self-discipline makes us clear thinkers.

Let us not peddle the panic. Let us be agents of peace. Now is the time for brave Christians to be brave.