Two Things to Learn from COVID-19

Those who predicted 2020 to be the year of change probably didn’t imagine it would be this different. The COVID-19 health crisis has shaken the world upside down. Everyday life and preoccupations were drastically interrupted. Lots of businesses and personal plans were scrapped so suddenly. People everywhere were experiencing doubts and fears. There’s panic in the air. There’s unexplained anger. There’s unimaginable selfishness.

It’s like breaking new ground. For the observant and introspective, life is full of daily discoveries and learnings.

Here are two of them:

1. Life is uncertain.

When you’re young or busy with work or activities, you often take your health and wellbeing for granted. You think that tomorrow will be as you expect it to be. You think that you are in control of your life. You seem sure that you have all the time and resource in the world to plan and go about your business as you wish. 

Now, in this time of global crisis, you remember once more that life is uncertain, even for the Christian. James 4:14 is right to say that you don't know what will happen tomorrow. As for your life, it’s like a vapor that’s here today and gone tomorrow.

So what do we learn from this? We learn that we should enjoy life as it comes. We should value each moment. We shouldn’t waste an opportunity. We shouldn’t take the important things and people in our lives for granted. We should count and enjoy our blessings. We should follow King Solomon’s advice in Ecclesiastes 3:12. People should “be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live, and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God.”

2. People have been neglecting their families.

It’s easy to spend your time and energy on other things while you neglect your family. People are busy living their lives and making a life outside of their own family circle. People go after their passion and pursuits, not realizing how disconnected they’ve become from their own families.

As governments started enforcing lockdowns, there came a growing concern over issues like domestic violence. People were now forced to stay home and be with their parents, children, spouses, and siblings. And they didn’t know how to cope and relate. Families were having a hard time getting along. From time to time, you could hear news of high profile celebrities leaving their homes. They couldn’t stand being with their partners. It was just too hard.

So what do we learn from this? We learn that the family is still the core unit of society. It’s the primary and foundational relationship we have in this world. And if there’s potential for improving family relationships, we should make every effort to do so. The Christian’s primary venue for growth and ministry is the family abode. It’s where you can apply the Bible’s “one another” commands. Love one another. Pray for one another. Forgive one another. Serve one another.

Indeed, the current pandemic is teaching us once more that life is uncertain and that people tend to neglect their families. And so let’s remember that life and family are greatly valuable investments. Guard these two treasures. Make them flourish. And more importantly, bathe them with love, care, and prayers. Your efforts guarantee profitable returns.