The Depressing Side of COVID-19…My Sincerest Apology
This COVID-19 has brought a low to my usually upbeat, optimistic self. But it’s not the quarantine that has caused my blues. It’s not the shrinking feeling of cabin fever that has awaken my sadness. It’s not the fear of getting the sickness.
It’s the Facebook posts I see. It’s the Tweets I cringe at. It’s the Blogs I read. It’s the Instagram photos I want to delete.
And the sad thing is, it’s not posts about people’s depression or loved ones death during this pandemic. It’s the hurtful posts I read time and time again.
It saddens me when the unbelieving people of this world groups all Christians together as weak minded, followers, who don’t study science and cannot have an intelligent discussion. They see us bible thumpers who get enjoyment out of striking down anyone who disagrees with us. And then they call us hypocrites and we get madder and the cycle starts back up.
It saddens me that I would also call us hypocrites as I see how many of us act, spewing and twisting our verses to best suit our personal agenda.
It saddens me to read that people are posting about masks and their freedom not to wear it by stating, “It’s my body and it’s my choice.” While last October during election time when Pro-Choice activities chanted this, the Pro-Lifers would roll their eyes. It’s the double standard that saddens me. And we wear it cloaked in the freedom of religion.
It saddens me that many believers aren’t sad over these comments. But they find pleasure in fanning the flames in the controversy.
It saddens me that society will blowup one believers comments and spin it to make all Christians look foolish. Not all Muslims are terrorist (just a small portion) just as not all Christians are terrorist (just a small portion). But that small portion infects society and the sound reasoning of the other 99.99% get overlooked.
It saddens me that people who are not believers may not look into faith because of a bad experience with a Christian. A bad discussion, a bad tweet, a bad post.
If this doesn’t sadden you, why doesn’t it?
Christ said we are to care more about others than ourselves. When we debate and argue for our personal agenda, who is that helping? It just makes the division bigger. Christ laid down His life for sinners and we won’t even stop a Facebook feud. Christ could have stopped his death, but didn’t because His death served a greater purpose.
Are your belligerent social media posts serving a bigger purpose? Your inflated ego isn’t a good purpose.
That saddens me.
I wonder what Jesus would say if He was here?
Would He be fighting the government? Yelling in their face that it’s His right to sing in church?
Sadly, I don’t see Him doing that.
I see him knocking on His neighbors door making sure they were provided for. I see Him praying in secret for guidance like how He would often do when He needed to focus. I see Him speaking on Zoom and through other technology formats to spread the message of hope to as many people that He could.
I never have read a story in the New Testament where Jesus said to defy and protest against the government. He told His believers to pay the taxes and to respect the government.
I never read anywhere where Jesus said to retaliate against people who disagree with you. But I read,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
Matthew 5:38-42 ESV
Some may say that Christ got upset in the temple and cleared it out and will use that as a defense for their cause. But he was cleansing the Temple. The house of God. Not a personal vendetta or a governmental issue. He was cleaning up the mess in the church. I think He would once again want to clean out the church. We may not be selling sacrifice pigeons for profit, but we are using the bride of Christ as a prostitute for our own good. Strutting her around for our own political gain. And that saddens and sickens me.
Why can’t we just follow as Christ tells us and love. Just as Paul wrote,
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
Are the posts you are reading from Christians, hateful or rude or arrogant or boastful. If so, from the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry. Christ’s teachings are not about division or conspiracies or one upping someone else with zingers and memes. Christ summed up the law in two sentences,
“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37, 39-40 ESV
Christ said for us to love. Love God and love others. He didn’t say for us to love those that agree with us. He didn’t draw a line that said if you cross I won’t love you. He didn’t put any stipulations on the reasons to love.
He just said for us to love.
So, yes, I’m sad. Because as much as I want to love, it’s hard when I see bridges burning and the chasm of grace keeps expanding by my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of throwing a rope for others to cross, they are walking away because they are safe. And for that I am deeply sorry. Heart wrenching sorry. I hope you can forgive us for how we have acted and the words we have inflicted with pain. I hope you can see the true teachings of Christ. I hope you can befriend a believer and ask questions and have an adult rational dialogue.
This gives me a little hope. A hope that change can happen.
I just wish the hymn that many sing wouldn’t just be a song to sing. But a movement.
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
I hope you know I am a Christian by my love. May that be my prayer from now on.
Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.
