Waiting for the Light
He was about 10 years old, standing and waiting for the light to change so he could cross the street. He was with what appeared to be his grandparents and an older sister. Even though the traffic light was in his favor, the corresponding lighted hand was red, meaning “Don’t cross.” He was waiting for the supplemental instruction.
The grandfather ignored the red hand, looked for traffic and signaled for the family to come with him. He crossed the street. Mother and sister started across but the boy held his spot. They stepped back to stay with him. He would not cross that street until the little lighted hand provided instruction.
There was no traffic. Still, the boy would not make a decision based on anything other than the rule to wait for the hand.
This kind of behavior makes me afraid that we are raising a generation who will not think for themselves (and would disobey their grandparents over the traffic sign). It’s scary that we look for instruction rather than assess a situation on its own merits.
Is this what we’re seeing with the COVID 19 virus?
In Sweden the government has banned large gatherings. They have informed the public of the risk and how to stay as healthy as possible while living their day-to-day lives. They have suggested that people over 70 self-isolate. According to an article on-line Sweden has the most relaxed restrictions in the world. (https://www.rt.com/news/484515-sweden-covid-no-lockdown/)
Schools are closed but businesses are running. Things are quieter than usual but the economy is being held up by just doing business as close to usual as is responsibly possible.
Responsibility (using this word to include self-control, discipline, and even some understanding) is being used by both the government and the people. Swedes trust each other to do the right thing!
We Americans have lost our trust of the government. There are so many questions about how the decisions are being made, the amount of actual scientific data that has been available to make the decisions, and the amount of “pork” in the legislative bills that are supposed to rescue us from this fiasco. (Who can trust people who make such shady “deals?”)
The government started off giving us all we needed to know to protect the most vulnerable. Then, we were given instructions to distance ourselves from those who are not so vulnerable. Then we were locked in our homes (except for essential work, as if every living made was not essential!). Obviously, the government doesn’t trust us to follow the precautions set down for us.
My heart aches for the hairdresser, the waitress, the janitorial and cafeteria staffs in our schools, the small business retailer who does not have a large on-line presence and free shipping, and even the single Mom whose job is “essential” so she must go to work while her children are home. (All of these suffer while the abortion “industry” continues to put many women in one room to wait to kill their babies. This is essential?)
How long can they go without paychecks? Where is our compassion for these people and their children? Honestly, turning to the state to save them looks scarier and more brutal than what they have now (in the long term).
Christian, will you be responsible with how to do the next right thing? Are there people we know who are in these difficult situations? Will we point them to Christ and to His church for help? Will we help?
If we are the ones in need of help, will we ask the church – or the state? The state does not trust us but we have the Right answers to this and every other situation in God’s Word. In it, the sick are quarantined, not the healthy.
If you are sick or vulnerable, please stay home. If you are healthy, please, responsibly do the next right thing to love your neighbor and show them Christ’s love in hard times. I admit that I don’t have the perfect picture of what that looks like. I am praying for it!
We should not necessarily wait for the green light to be able to leave our homes for the sake of others – even our own family.