“Be on your guard; stand firm in your faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love” - 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
The pandemic has been an unexpected twist to 2020 for a lot of us. Looking back, it has been a roller coaster of feelings, a heap load of injustices and a pile of new rules to get adjusted to. Who knew so much could happen in such a little amount of time. One of the most noticeable effects of the pandemic was and still, is the decline in mental health for a lot of people. There have been a lot of feelings of confusion, stress and fear coupled with anxiety and depression. Statistics from Health.org.uk show that “during the pandemic/lockdown period, there was 69% of individuals who experienced levels of worry about the effect of Covid-19 on their lives. This was followed by 56% of people feeling stressed and anxious, 63% feeling worried and 49% just being bored. On average 8.1% individuals believed that their mental health worsened during the lockdown period”. There has been an increase in isolation of the elderly population, job and financial losses, loss of family members and friends and an increase in domestic abuse. I can’t even cover in writing the extent of how much people have been affected during this time. In the midst of so much hardship, trials and tribulation it may seem hard to look forward and put your trust in God.
One big lesson that we should take from the pandemic is the importance of showing love to everyone. As previously mentioned, a lot of people may be facing unfortunate situations at any given time. People have lost loved ones, lost jobs and face financial crises, people are suffering with mental health problems and therefore this is the perfect time to show love and support one another. The centre and most important aspect of the Christian faith, as most of you may know, is love. In Mark 12:31, Jesus responds to a question about the most important commandment with “Love your neighbour as yourself” (along with love the Lord your God). Jesus highlights that there is no greater commandment than this. As Christians, we are called to love and do good to those around us (Proverbs 3:27). Love may simply mean smiling at someone, offering a word of encouragement, being available to speak to someone, helping the elderly with the shopping or even donating food to local food banks. Love manifests in many ways, as long as it is done with a sincere and pure heart (1 Timothy 1:5). In this life, looking out for others can go a long way, especially in hard times, everyone at one point in their lives needs someone they can rely on. Philippians 2:4-5 reminds us “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” We are called to be imitators of Christ whilst we are alive. A way to do this is to love as he did. A small act of kindness can go a long way and opens doors of blessings for you (Proverbs 21:21).
Another significant movement that resurfaced during the pandemic was the Black Lives Matter movement, this was a major reminder we should not turn a blind eye to the injustice that happens around us, whether we can relate to it or not - so whether it is fighting for the justice for the black individuals killed under police brutality, speaking up for the Uyghur Muslims who are being mistreated in concentration camps and/or raising awareness to other various injustices occurring right under our noses, justice should be fought for. God is a just God and therefore also wants us to respond in a just manner. As much as we are called to be peaceful and loving in our daily lives, that should not prevent us from being active and just in the way we behave. In fact, Romans 12:9 says “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly what is good” - here we see that love and justice go perfectly hand in hand. How can we claim to love, but watch people be mistreated and oppressed? How can we claim to love God and others yet watch people suffer in the hands of their oppressors? By being silent In the face of injustice, we are automatically on the side of the oppressors. As the well known quote goes, our actions speak louder than words. So we must not keep quiet in the face of injustice, but instead speak out and seek justice (Isaiah 1:17). 1 Corinthians 13 further reiterates the link between love and justice, it speaks on love by saying “it does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever truth wins out.” Showing love doesn’t just mean buying someone a present or expressing affection. Showing love also means speaking out for those who can’t, being an advocate for the oppressed and doing anything that we can to bring the truth alight. We need to “Uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute” (Psalms 82:3).
Don’t only speak out on those you ‘identify’ with, but speak out in the face of all injustice. Love is not partial. Petitions, donations, educating others, speaking out on your social media platforms or even peacefully protesting can bring about change, each of us have a part to play.
Personally, looking back at the last few months, I have learnt a lot about who God is and how I should apply his words to my life. This pandemic has taught me so much more about love, justice and empathy. It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with everything around us, the news, social media, family...sometimes we just need to take a break and unplug. The word of God reminds us in 1 Peter 5:7 to “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you.” Sometimes we just need to offload everything off our minds. As much as it is important to take care of others and keep updated about what is going on around you, it is also important to take care of yourself and your mental health. Paul likens our body to a temple - the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and as with a temple, we are to take care of what God has given us. In times like the recent months, when we feel overwhelmed, tired and stressed, ensure that you set your mind on God, ask Him for the strength to push through (Isaiah 40:31), keep faith (Psalm 37:5) and continue to love (1 John 4:7) - even when times are hard. Keep safe,
Honour x
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