I am reminded of one of my favorite fictional characters, Mozzie from White Collar, when he quotes an old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Well, 2020 has definitely been interesting.
There have been many lessons in 2020 but I’m going to focus on three. We’ve learned the importance of Faith, Friends and Family, and Health.
One of the things that has disappointed me the most this year has been the fear and panic of those who claim to know Jesus Christ. I understand that if you believe that this life is all you have, then fear and panic is logical when this life is threatened. But as Followers of Jesus Christ, our Hope is that this life is temporary. We are just passing thru. We are citizens of Heaven. As Paul says in Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
That isn’t to say that we won’t have trouble. We will. Early in the Covid fear, I saw friends posting things like I claim in Jesus’ name that I won’t get Covid. Uhmm, no. That is taking the Lord’s name in vain. We live in a broken and fallen world. Death and disease are a part of the curse of sin.
Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
2020 has been a great opportunity to show the world that we are different. Since the beginning of the Christian church, when crisis arose, it was the Church that rose up with courage and met the crisis. When unwanted babies in the Roman Empire were dropped off bridges, it was the Christ Followers that rescued and adopted them. When disease hit, it was the Christ Followers that took care of the sick. Why are so many hospitals named after Saints and Christian groups? My daughter’s kidney transplant took place in St. Louis Children’s Hospital. It is connected to the Washington University Medical campus along with Barnes Jewish Hospital. Barnes Jewish Hospital is where her donor had his procedure. When Yellow Fever hit Memphis in 1878, it was the Church that stayed and cared for them. Many died as a result of caring for the sick and dying.
What did the Church do in 2020? It closed down like the rest of the world. Oh, it was couched in terms of being good neighbors and not wanting to spread the disease. We were told that the Church isn’t a building, but a group of believers. We were told that we could worship God anywhere. Group of believers?!? The word literally means assembly. Where was the assembly of believers taking place? The early Church met In homes. They broke bread together. They had fellowship. So big groups weren’t a good idea. What about meeting in small groups in people’s homes? What a novel idea!
We missed a golden opportunity as the Church.
Which brings me to the second lesson of 2020; the importance of friends and family. We were created for relationships. We all felt the impact of isolation. The impact will be felt for decades. No, Zoom and Facebook are not a substitute for face to face; voice to voice; and hugs. I have several friends who lost parents this year. The heartbreak of not being able to be with their loved ones as they died or gather for a celebration of their lives will be emotional scars that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. I’ve had friends who have been hospitalized with no one to be with them. I’ve had family who have had to deal with hurricanes and insurance companies all alone. No family or friends to offer them a hug. One of the risks for Failure to Thrive in older adults is social isolation or loss of loved one. Sound familiar? The solution? Get involved in social activities. Hello?!? What social activities? We’ve shut down schools, churches, sporting events and restaurants. Many were afraid to get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas with family. Thankfully, many decided that getting together was worth the risk.
The third lesson of 2020 is the importance of health. The highest risk factor for complications from Covid is age. It’s not even close. 8 out of 10 deaths in the US with Covid have been above the age of 65. The percentage of US population in this age group is 17%. Risk of hospitalization in this age group increases by 5 – 13 times.
The next highest risk factors are certain medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. These are conditions that are highly influenced by nutrition and lifestyle. I am not saying that if you have cancer or heart disease, that it is your fault. Death and disease are the reality of living in a fallen and broken world. My own daughter is testament of that. She caught an e coli bug when she was 8. Her body couldn’t shake it and she ended up in kidney failure. I could beat myself up for mistakes that I might have made, but the reality is that we live in a fallen and broken world that death and disease are a part of. What we can do is take steps to mitigate our risk. A healthy immune system is important. There are actions that we can take to build up our immune system; like taking Vitamin D; lessening our body’s inflammation thru cutting out sugar and bad fats; getting proper sleep; and controlling stress.
As we look forward to 2021, the question is, have we learned any lessons from 2020? If we haven’t, 2021 isn’t going to look much different than this year. What changes are you going to make? What changes am I going to make?
