24/03/2020
THIS WAR CAN ONLY BE WON BY OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
By Edwin K. Sutter
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
The world is currently facing its worst calamity since the World War II. But unlike in the WWII, the current war involves an invisible enemy. An enemy that knows neither physical boundaries nor sophisticated weapons. An enemy that creates neither alliances nor factions, neither Allies nor Axis. An enemy that does not understand the language of superpowers, the G7 or the various unions spread across the world.
For a long time, the human race has been investing in sophisticated weaponry to fight its own species, weapons that are not useful at the moment and no one even talks or prides about them. For from US to the smallest territories in the word, there is unprecedented panic and real fear.
Unlike the WWII that involved about 100 million people in 30 countries, the COVID-19 involves the entire world population of over 7.7 billion of us. This is a war where we cannot be saved by the sophistication of our weaponry but by our individual responsibility. The COVID-19 virus does not discriminate between the bodies of the rich or the poor, the famous or the obscure but devours all with the same ferocity.
The Bible tells in Proverbs 27:12 tells us that "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty." At this time, God is our surest safety and protection. It’s time to stay at home, remain faithful to Him and take time to pray incessantly *in our homes.* Convert your study room or your living room into the house of God where you can devout your time as a family to worship Him as this is the First Church. And let us not put our God to test by exposing ourselves and others to unnecessary dangers. It is illogical and unreasonable to carelessly expose yourself, your loved ones and others to unnecessary danger for God does not support of it. Going to crowded places where there is no emergency and you have not only foolish of you but ungodly. For the Bible in Proverbs 1416 says “One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.”
Stay at home and let the government do its part. Pray in your homes. The physical church is going nowhere but without precautions you may not be there to attend it when the pandemic is over.
If we don’t take necessary precautions, it will reach a time when the COVID-19 is over and we have to resume to our work places, schools, and playfields and take stock of ourselves. It will be unfortunate that many of us may not be there to be counted for defying simple directives and shall form the statistics on the dark side of history.
Paul in Romans 13:1-7 tells us that every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.
Let’s all follow the government directives and remain to be counted for if we don’t, it will reach a time when you will learn that so and do is no more because of COVID-19.
It is Time to Help Others and Be Counted
With COVID-19, everyone is exposed to almost the same fate. It is only those who stay away that shall have a story to tell. We can all run away from this disease and we are all better placed to and able to protect ourselves from this hazard.
Because not all of us are able to survive for long without supplies, it is time that those who have support the less fortunate in the society.
The story of Ruth in the Old Testament is an example of how a rich man, Boaz, provides for the poorer people in the community by not being too greedy or selfish with his land. He allows the landless people, including Ruth, to glean the leftover barley from the fields after his workers have gathered the harvest (Ruth 2:2-18). It is time for those who have to support those who are in dire need in the society.
When disaster happens, it can be difficult to see things from God’s perspective. We may not be able to identify why the disaster has happened, but we should always be ready to respond with love and compassion. WE SHOULD: -
Trust that God is still a God of love and compassion, that He experiences sorrow for disaster victims and that he has power to bring good out of bad situations. Our attitude to disaster may influence our survival.
Find ways to help those affected by the disaster, using the gifts and skills God has given us.
Explore opportunities to reduce unnecessary suffering in the future. Often there is little we can do to stop hazards, but we can increase our preparedness and capacity to cope with them. This involves upholding biblical values of compassion, equity and justice.
Look at ourselves and assess our own relationship with God and the environment. We should look carefully at how we as individuals, our churches or our nations may have contributed in some way to this disaster, for example, by causing environmental damage and seek to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
The church is well placed both to respond with compassion and practical help in times of disaster and to take action to reduce people’s vulnerability to hazards. This is because the church exists at grassroots level and its members have a wide variety of skills and resources.
(Mr. Sutter is a motivational speaker and an accomplished public governance expert. - kemboi@yahoo.com)
