Automatic Transcript Generated
Speaker 1
So, diving into the last question for today, to wrap this up, sonora asks, in a situation like the pandemic we are in, should we still live our lives to the fullest? I don’t mean with neglect to rules or should we be cautious to protect our loved ones and those around us? At what point do we need to just have faith and live our lives? And at what point should we be worried if this all makes sense? And I think this is a really.
Speaker 2
Definitely makes sense, timely question.
Speaker 1
Obviously it’s a hot topic and I think it’s not just about being worried. At what point should we be worried? Well, at what point should we be cautious and respectful might be another term.
Speaker 2
For that guiding principle that will yes.
Speaker 1
So I’ll let you guys dive in first. What are your thoughts on this? Jay, I know you had some. Tina looks like she’s still thinking.
Speaker 3
I have a verse.
Speaker 2
Oh, good. Go with the verse.
Speaker 1
We’ll start with the verse. Go for it. No worries.
Speaker 3
So I guess when I think about this, it’s very controversial. Everyone’s like, is this pandemic real? Do I wear a mask? Do I not? How do I go about this while still just trying to live your life and be happy and not get depressed? Because so many things are closed and our lives just changed overnight.
Speaker 1
And can I mention there mental health is a major issue during this pandemic?
Speaker 3
Absolutely.
Speaker 1
There’s a big narrative that everyone can just stop living their lives and be fine. But what we’re seeing in the mental health world is that we have these massive, massive increases in intense psychiatric issues going on. So there is a side effect to this social isolation component that we have to pay attention to. So anyway, back to you.
Speaker 3
No worries. No, and I totally agree. In my field of work, I work mainly with children in an educational setting. And so in my field where I do therapy with them, I’ve definitely just seen everything’s online, everything’s through Zoom, which is just kind of interesting. It kind of takes you into their real life world because they’re at home and when you’re treating these children and I’ve seen kids that I used to see face to face with happy go lucky kids and now they’re just so depressed and it affects children too. We don’t always think like, kids don’t get depressed, but they do. And it’s just kind of definitely been sad to see how devastating it’s been that so many people are affected negatively because of this. And so it kind of makes you be like, well then do we just do whatever we want? Because our mental health is important too. And of course we have to find a balance between those things. And there are legislation in place that they’re trying to do to keep us safe too, because they don’t want this disease to spread rapidly and they are trying to save lives, in essence.
Speaker 3
And so you look at the verse I’m talking about in Titus three, verse one, and it says, and put them in mind to be subject into principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. So basically it’s kind of saying keep the law of the land as much as it’s in you to do that. If it’s wearing a mask, keeping social distance, it’s what we’re supposed to do. Do that. Be respectful of people’s wishes and respectful people around you. But does that mean you isolate yourself and you don’t connect and you just stay miserable? No, you find ways to connect with people. You find ways to reach out and touch people. I think right now is the best time to reach those around you. I know that myself. I’ve found that this has been the time where I need to reach out to friends and family that I haven’t been in touch with in a long time. And in doing so, not only are they blessed because they’re actually being contacted by another human, but I myself am blessed in the process. And so I think life is what you make it.
Speaker 3
And if you’re reaching out to be a blessing, you and yourself are going to be blessed in return, but making sure you’re doing it in a way that is keeping them safe and healthy and yourself safe and healthy too.
Speaker 2
Exactly. Yeah. And Jose, I think there’s two important principles and that’s following leaders, authorities to extent possible is the first principle, because we don’t want to look like we’re lawless people. That doesn’t do good for the name of God, hey, I’m follower of God, he has many laws, you need to follow him. But we’re going to look like we’re chaotic people. And I’m not trying to slam the Christians. They have some very valid things to be worried about. We do have freedoms that are being threatened, so that threat is real. But we do have to think about how are we representing God and what we do. And then the second guiding principle, I’d say, especially when it comes to then our relationships with those around us, is the law is love. So how is love going to guide our interactions with people? One way to know what the loving thing to do is, how would you want to be treated back, right. Doing to others as you would have it done unto you. So if you want people wear masks around you, you would be respectful. You would want that reciprocated or vice versa. If someone wants masks worn around them, then you should be respectful.
Speaker 2
The lovely thing to do would be wear a mask around them. And sometimes love is finding ways. Like you said, Tina, reach out and connect with people. And maybe we have to get more creative than we could be in the past. We still have the social distancing we could still get at least 6ft within space of people going outdoors really mitigates the risk.
Speaker 1
And I think, too, the law of love isn’t just a matter of protecting somebody from the illness, as strange as that may sound. I might get some hate mail for saying this, but sometimes the law of love is to show up for somebody in a way that they need, and it doesn’t mean that you have to put yourself in harm’s way to do that necessarily. But I think about people who are quite elderly and who are just basically they’re at the point where they’re like, when my time comes, I’m fine with that. My grandma used to say this to me when she was getting nearer to her time. In fact, she told me when I was a kid, she wanted people to celebrate when she died because she had lived her life fully and she believed in the coming of Jesus and that we would all be reunited. So she didn’t see death as this really scary thing. But I think about there are elderly people who are extremely devastated by the fact that they’ve been cut off from their family, and their family is protecting them. Right. By saying, I’m not going to come see you because I don’t want you.
Speaker 2
To get the facility where they’re saying, I’m protected.
Speaker 1
Yeah, and the facility may be protecting them, but if they’re not in the facility with other people because then there’s other people involved. But let’s say they’re at home and we’re saying, oh, we’re not going to go visit Grandma or Grandpa because we have to protect them because we might be a carrier. Well, that’s our view. But is that what they want? Do they share that same view? Are they afraid of if this brings their end, or to them, is it more important that, you know what? I want to see my family. I want to engage with my family as long as I can and not be cut off. And there’s no right or wrong answer for that. For a global population, I think this is where it comes down to the law of love and to that relationship with that person to find out what their wishes are. And if their wishes are come and hang out and spend time with me, well, then maybe that’s the appropriate thing to do for that situation. And if their wish is, I want to stay protected, I don’t want to get sick, I want to stay in my own space, help me with Zoom, then that’s the right thing.
Speaker 1
But I think we have a tendency to want to put our views and values, to impose them on another person, and that’s not necessarily the law of love. The law of love is understanding where the other person is at and what is going to be a blessing, like you said, what’s going to be a blessing to them and doing our best.
Speaker 2
Connecting with them where they’re at.
Speaker 1
Yeah. To honor and support and bless them. And I feel very sad for the elderly people who are being very deprived of family engagement because of this and social interaction because of this. I know from talking to some that they just have a very different view and perspective on it. To me, it would be dishonouring, it would be unloving to deny them that, you know, that autonomy and that that right at this point in their life.
Speaker 2
So we have a comment from Richard. Maybe you could put it up on point. Said he had COVID and he has bad health. I don’t know if that’s because of COVID or even beforehand. If beforehand, then that makes COVID even scarier. I heard on the news I was ready to die wow. And go to heaven. But log on through. So thanks for sharing that, Richard. We’re really glad to hear that you’re able to get through the virus, and we’ll make sure we pray for you and your family, and we hear stories. One of the scary things about COVID is maybe not even just possibility death, but the long term health consequences, which some people seem to be potentially suffering. So we’ll also pray that there not be any lasting effects for you. Yeah.
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In His Service
BibleAsk Team
