Loving God and Loving our Neighbor in the Midst of the COVID-19 Crisis: 7 Ways a Christian can Respond

I pulled into the Aldi parking lot, and I was curious that there were so many cars. It’s not the beginning of the month, it’s not even a typical bi-weekly pay week for most people. Why are there so many people here on a Thursday evening?

You see, Thursday evenings are my typical weekly shopping trip while my oldest is at Karate. I had a few of my other boys with me, so we took our time finding a parking spot and unloading. We got our cart and headed in. I started gathering the groceries that I needed, somewhat surprised that Aldi had not kept up on their stock this week. Bread, can goods, cereals all picked over. People’s carts were loaded. Something was going on.

By now, most of you might wonder how I didn’t know what the mad rush was. What, is she naive? How does she not know about the impending Armageddon? I was very well aware of growing concerns of the COVID-19 virus causing some issues in the US. I’m a nurse. I get state issued health bulletins which recently have encouraged good hand hygiene, staying home if you’re sick, and limiting large gatherings. But what I couldn’t understand was the mad rush to stock up – that is, until I was getting my milk.

I had my five-year-old reach in the refrigerator door and pull out one gallon. That’s all we needed this week. A lady walked up behind me and curtly stated, “You may want to get more than that. The US is going to be put under mandatory quarantine for four weeks! They’re going to announce it Monday! I have a good source! He’s in the military!” She continued her rant as she moved on behind other people leaving in her wake a current of fear and chaos.

For a moment, my heart started beating faster. Why hadn’t I heard this? Why hadn’t the state health bulletins told us it was coming to this? I thought about grabbing a bunch of canned goods, boxed goods, frozen meals. I mentally analyzed my pantry, what did I need to get us through four weeks? Diapers? Cereal? Toilet paper? Too late on that last one as most of the toilet paper was already gone.

I realized what I was doing – reeling in assumptive panic based on a random woman’s comments in Aldi. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I thought through the logic of that actually happening and considered the source of the information that had turned my normal shopping trip on its emotional head. I spoke truth to myself and considered wisdom in this situation. What was my mission as a believer in Christ living in a culture that is panicking?

Our country is in panic mode. Fear is reigning. People are responding out of desperation. Ironically, similar things were seen before during Y2K, when SARS was active, or when the H1N1 strain came to the US. As believers in Christ, we are not supposed to respond as the culture does in these times of crisis. What is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God. The second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself. This is our mission. This is the standard we are to hold in times of peace and times of fear.

So, in the midst of the COVID-19 chaos, how are we supposed to love God and love our neighbor?

Do Not Give Way to Fear

The major pandemic right now is not this virus. It is the fear being created and mass panic resulting in irrational behavior. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to rise above fear.

As I loaded my groceries in my trunk and the cars continued to flood the parking lot with people literally running into the store, I heard the birds chirping. I closed my eyes and simply listened. I remembered a conversation Jesus had with some of his followers. Consider the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself (Matthew 6:26, 34). I breathed deep the goodness of God, and I smiled as I passed my cart to the next panicked shopper.

Our God created this world out of nothing. He sustains all things by his powerful word. He spoke a word and the blind saw, the lame leapt, the sick were healed, and the dead were raised. He conquered death, hell, and broke down the dividing walls of separation.

When I live in fear, I am denying the power of God and trying to grasp control like trying to hold sand as it slips through my fingers. He is all powerful. How can I think that our sovereign God is not aware of this virus and does not have the power to provide for our needs? He knows the very hairs of my head and the number of grains of sand by the sea.

Trusting God, choosing not to fear, this is one way of loving God in this time of uncertainty.

Continue to Engage in Worship

We’ve heard from many of our churches. Some states are limiting large gatherings. This may affect the ways that you engage in worship time or community. But don’t let that be an excuse for taking a break from your pursuit of God. God is found by those who seek him. And Jesus is enthroned on the praises of his people.

Take the extra time from cancelled events, church related or otherwise, to get quiet before God. Tell him your concerns. He cares. Ask him how you can meet needs around you. Praise him for his protection and his provision. The sun rises and sets each day only by His command. Worship Him in the splendor of His holiness.

If your church offers streamed services, gather with a small group of friends or simply stream them in your own home. If this isn’t an option for you, many quality Gospel messages can be found on YouTube. Some of my favorites are Matt Chandler, Francis Chan, and John Piper. Allow your soul to be soaked in the truth of God’s word. It’s the one thing that can combat the mass hysteria in our culture right now.

Let’s continue to express our love to God even when we can’t do so corporately!

Know the Source of Your Information

The woman that created that sense of fear in my heart was not a quality source of information for me. More than likely, she is simply viscerally reacting to fear inducing news stories and maybe a conversation with a friend.

My family has determined that it is not healthy for us mentally or emotionally to engage in the news media. We do not watch national or local news shows. We do not follow the news on social media. We are well aware that the large majority of these sources blow stories out of the water creating cultures of fear, anger, and anxiety. The media leads our culture. And the more we engage in it, the more likely our hearts are to be led astray as well. We also realize that we need to have some form of information when it comes to current events. Personally, we choose to follow Christo-centric news sources such as Family Research Counsel and the Heritage Foundation. We also look for accurate and up to date information from original sources such as legislation in action, CDC, and the state health bulletins. If you choose to engage in the national or local news sources, please be aware that they typically only share what is most exciting or scary. They thrive on inducing fear. And their storytelling is typically embellished to make things more interesting.

Use wisdom. Be aware of where you are getting your information. Let’s love our neighbors by proclaiming truth and wisdom, not inciting fear and panic from non-credible sources.

Use Common Sense

Most of what is being recommended by the national health agencies right now should be common practice anyway. Hand washing was shown to have significant impact on decreasing the transmission of bacteria and viruses back in the 1850s (History of Handwashing). For some reason, it has lost popularity. Please wash your hands after touching high traffic surfaces – door knobs, light switches, tables, store check out counters, and restaurant tables. By all means, wash after using the restroom and before you eat. Common hand soap and running water for twenty seconds is sufficient. This is not hypervigilance, this is common sense.

Please stay home if you are feeling ill. The concern here is possible exposure to vulnerable populations and the continuation of spread of a virus. Elderly, and those with underlying health issues are most susceptible to long term health issues from this virus. We can love our neighbors by not unduly exposing them.

Please don’t overrun your hospitals for concerns over common colds. Know the symptoms of the virus, and seek medical help only if necessary. We need to manage our health personnel in a way that keeps them available for those who need them most.

Please don’t go crazy buying tons of hand sanitizer, Lysol, and medical masks. Our health industry – nurses, doctors and first responders need access to these as they are caring for those who truly are ill. If you wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and stay home when you’re ill, your need of these items are not essential.

Prepare but Don’t Panic

A major issue with mass stockpiling is the issue of supply and demand. Evidence is already speaking to this as bottles of hand sanitizer are going for hundreds of dollars on Amazon. Shelves are empty of diapers, toilet paper, canned goods and frozen meals. If I had jumped into the chaos stocking hundreds of diapers and rolls of toilet paper clearing the shelves of reserves, what would happen when the mom down to her last diaper needs one? Some people are not in a financial situation to stockpile and have to buy groceries and supplies as they are able. If the shelves are empty or the prices exorbitant, they will wind up lacking their needs.

As a Christian, I cannot simply consider my own needs, I am told to love my neighbor as myself. And I cannot reconcile mass stockpiling with considering the paycheck to paycheck single mom down the street.

Wisely, when it comes to being prepared, it might be prudent to have a week or two of shelf stable items in your home in case you get ill and need to stay away from others. This keeps you from exposing others at the store or pharmacy. When I was at Aldi, I decided that one extra box of diapers, a couple boxes of instant oatmeal, and some boxed mac which would give us a few extra options if we were home bound for a few days.

Consider Other’s Needs

As you think about how this crisis, possible shutdowns, and cancellation of events effects you, don’t forget to consider how the effect others as well.

What of the elderly lady who is home bound? Does she need groceries? Someone to pick up her medications? What of the poverty level kids who are not able to get meals at school for the next few weeks? Are their local programs you could donate to? Could you prep some meals or drop off some lunch items to a neighbor who may be hurting?

How can we be the body, the hands and feet, of Jesus in this time of Crisis? Look for the needs around you. Ask God to show you how to love your neighbor well. He will. Then act – out of love. 
Not fear!

Continue to Live Your Life

It’s tempting in times like this to immerse ourselves in the current event and forget that each minute, each day, our children are growing, our families are aging, and moments are passing. Use these times when you are home more together to invest in each other. Play games. Ask questions. Snuggle. Spend extra time with your spouse. Make memories.

Communicate to your kids this current crisis in terms they can understand, but don’t create fear. Communicate truth. Love your kids by leading them to Jesus when they are afraid. (Your children are your neighbors too.)

Do what you do with excellence and for the glory of God. Even the eating, drinking, cleaning, and wiping baby bottoms are ways that we can bring God glory if we choose to serve Him by serving those He’s blessed us with. Love God by loving others!

Friends, God’s got this! Might it be possible to look at this situation as more of an opportunity than a threat? How can you choose to rise above? How can you choose to love God and love others in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis? May we love Him and love others well!