Curt Williams
Founder & Executive Director
The words, “Getting back to normal,” have all-of-a-sudden become much more common. There is a good chance that you have uttered these words in the last few weeks. I know that I have. As we contemplate what these words mean, I would like to proffer some questions.
Truth is, even in the regular progression of time, what is “normal” is constantly in flux and steadily evolving. If you choose to be aware of it, you would recognize that even in the best of times, today is different from yesterday and tomorrow will be different from today. We are all aging, growing, becoming more informed, maturing and our lives are heading towards our inevitable end.
What we are yearning for is not necessarily normality, but we want our conveniences and diversions back.
Few of us are truly suffering. Some may be witnessing their personal financial value decrease, while others may be living off of unemployment benefits until their jobs return. Many are just bored and tired of the isolation. Yet, we are not experiencing the effects of mass starvation or a raging plague as have been recorded in history. We are not witnessing massive civil unrest or widespread migration due to oppression or hunger. What we are is entitled, feeling that we deserve to have all of our comforts and conveniences returned to us post haste.
I am not writing this from a superior position. I miss baseball and sitting in a restaurant enjoying sushi or Thai food. Wearing a mask is frustrating as my eyeglasses constantly fog and it becomes disgustingly evident when my breath is atrocious. Wearing gloves is a bother and pulling off sweat-filled gloves is a bit disgusting. The religious use of hand sanitizers has become a pain as I already have dry skin.
See? None of this is suffering. We are just a nation of whiners and spoiled children.
What I fear in becoming “normal” is our elected political figures issuing unenforceable and unconstitutional daily edicts. I am concerned that our hard-won freedoms are being debased under the cover of this virus. It is worrisome that we seem to receive a prodigious amount of contradicting information.
So, what is a Believer to do? What is a proper reply? I find this to be a simple response:
Lost and self-focused people take care of themselves.
Responsible individuals take care of themselves and their families.
Christ-followers take care of themselves, their families, their friends and strangers.
Please stay healthy and do with this as you will.
