The three people you meet during COVID.
I’d like to introduce you to the three people you meet during COVID, two of which you know quite well - the Thief, the Critic and the Sage.
“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”
The Thief is worry, and we’re well-acquainted with him.
We all want to be able to live our lives normally, to go out and meet people, to eat in restaurants, to go to church, to travel and see family and friends. But we’re concerned - is this safe for me and for others? This is healthy and takes ourselves and others into account as we take the appropriate actions.
Worrying, however is different.
Worrying is picturing a potentially bad future, while feeling powerless to do anything about it in the present.
Worrying is based on inaction, or an inability to do anything about this possible future. It’s destructive, toxic, debilitating and paralyzing. We think ‘that future is going to happen, and it’s going to blow up my life’, or at least we think so. But worrying also steals from us - that’s why he’s the Thief.
Jesus said it best in Matthew 6:27: “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
We know the answer to this rhetorical question - it’s a big no.
Think about it this way: Worrying will not ADD time to your life, but it can TAKE it away.
Does worrying about how your kids will grow up, make your parenting any better? When you worried about how the election would go, did it add anything to your life? Worry has never added anything to anyone’s life ever, but it has robbed us of joy, appropriate actions and time well-spent with loved ones.
Right now the whole world is worried - we’re all worried about what we should do. And none of us have the answer. Welcome to life right?
Let’s meet the second person.
The Critic is frustration, and he’s all too familiar too.
We can go without for a little while. We can make sacrifices for others, we can stay at home if needed, we can work from afar, we can get our groceries at the curb. When these things are suggested or we’re ordered to do them, we can accept them.
But just for a little while.
What happens when that little while turns into there’s no end in sight? We get frustrated, and we look for someone to blame. Enter the Critic.
We critique our elected officials, our Pastors, our spouses, our bosses, our local representatives, our Police Officers and Sheriffs, our medical experts and anyone else who may have made a decision that affects what we want to do, but can’t.
Leaders have incredibly difficult jobs right now. Their decisions affect not only themselves but their loved ones, their peers and even society. Add onto that a Pandemic that no one alive has experience leading through and you have some leaders who are carrying tremendous burdens through their decision making.
COVID-19 has kept these two - the Thief and the Critic - in our inner circle of influence for far too long. And we have been bouncing back and forth between them. Right now we’re stuck between:
Worrying about what we should do, and wanting to do what we can’t do. It’s a terrible cycle. But there is a better influence, one that will help us worry less about what we should do and become less frustrated about what we can’t do.
Let’s meet the third person - the Sage, she’s wisdom.
In the ancient world, wisdom was often personified as a woman. In Hellenistic Philosophy she is regarded as Sophia, in the pantheon of Greek gods as Athena, or for the Romans (who just stole everyone else’s gods) as Minerva.
In the Bible, specifically the book of Proverbs, wisdom is also personified as woman, but in a very different way from ancient pagan myths. Wisdom is God’s knowledge and insight that is available to every person. She points people to be in ‘awe’ of God (also translated as ‘fear’, like fearing the mighty and awesome power of a giant wave that has both the power to crush you or give you one great surf session. If you see ‘fear the Lord’ it often means to be in ‘awe’ of His power and majesty).
Wisdom sets herself up wherever people may pass by - where many paths meet, at the gates of a city or up on hill - so that in passing her they may hear her cries of wisdom and live more wisely as they go about their lives:
Proverbs 8:1-6 Wisdom has built her house, She has carved out her seven pillars; She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table; She has sent out her attendants, she calls out from the tops of the heights of the city: “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says, “Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed. Abandon your foolishness and live, and proceed in the way of understanding.”
Wisdom needs to be the primary influence on our lives right now. Instead of worrying about what we should do, or becoming frustrated by what we want to do but can’t there is a third option with the Sage’s help:
Let’s be wise with what we can do.
When we ‘proceed in the way of understanding’ we push past the Thief and his robbery of our time and we reject the Critic’s encouragement to toss our leaders under the bus. We act wisely in what we can do, because we seek to understand what we can do and we act on it to the best of our ability.
Before we act, we ask ourselves better questions with the Sage’s help:
What can I focus on now that I’m forced to?
What can I drop that I never should have picked up?
Who can I help that I didn’t hear asking before?
How can I become better through this, instead of becoming bitter because of all this?
Jesus’ own brother gives us a further encouragement when it comes to listening to the Sage, the difference in wisdom that comes from God vs everyone else:
James 3: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
Lastly, the Sage gives us some wise counsel, in that, wisdom will help us:
Be at peace with local and nationally elected officials.
Be considerate of others in our actions.
Be submissive to good, sound advice even if it contradicts our thoughts and emotions.
Show mercy to those who’s leadership decisions may affect us negatively.
Look for good fruit in our lives and the lives of others even in difficult times.
Lead impartially, not looking to just what will help our families but as many people as possible.
To be sincere in our effects to care for and help people.
If you see the Sage on a hilltop nearby, hear her knock at your door or happen to meet her on the street, sit with her a while. Listen, learn and take some notes. She has plenty to tell you.