How do we Love and Serve in a World Restricted with Social Distancing?
In 1686, Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion stated:
“To every action (force) in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
There is no greater time in present history in which this can be proven. In the midst of panic, overbuying, and the what ifs of things unknown, there are the equal and opposite reactions. Those using this time for good are reaching out to help neighbors and taking extra time and resources to buy for those who may need support to assure those around us that we are indeed in this together. Those of us looking outside ourselves are able to be a force against a virus with our patience, kindness and self-discipline.
In every period of human history where there has been hardship, pain and destruction, there have also been amazing stories of perseverance and growth. This is true for the church, as the first Christians were up against huge obstacles, yet Christianity spread like wildfire. Now we face a new period that requires creativity to stand up against this virus.
In this time, we need an extra abundance of prayer for what is yet to come and a knowledge of a Savior who is always there. How can we push back with an opposite reaction? We push back by keeping our hearts pointed to the One who tells us to seek His wisdom and knowledge in His words of truth. We share the hope of Jesus who has conquered it all, even death! In this time, we can continue to plant seeds in this seemingly implantable season because through Jesus, all things are possible.
Though our physical connections may be limited, there are more ways than ever to connect through things like phone calls, texts, Skype, FaceTime and Zoom! While we stay at home we can reconnect with our family instead of being rushed, learn new skills on YouTube instead of making excuses and encourage others while we all deal with these ever changing circumstances. We can even invite friends to watch online church!
The most important thing we can do is to love our neighbors. With the launch of our Get Help // Give Help process on fcchb.com, those who need support are matched up with those who wish to give support! There are no pre-qualifications for who can be involved in loving those around us. Every person is loved and every person is necessary in God’s kingdom. Together, we can continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus without hugging or shaking hands. It just takes one light, one wise and positive person to remind darkness and fear that they will always lose in the end. Esther’s story (found in the book of Esther in the Bible) records a famous phrase that rings true today, “For such a time as this”. The things we do today are what the world will look back on in history. We want our actions in this time to be full of perseverance through belief, trust, and courage, just like Esther’s were. She saved her people because of her commitment to God and her people. We can be like Esther and stay committed to the amazing God we serve and all the people He created. To do this we need to make sure we are focusing on the right things and prayer is a huge part of making that possible.
Here are some practical steps to pray for 15 minutes a day:
Select 5 people to pray for.
Spend 5 minutes (1 minute each) praying for those 5 people.
Rest and reflect for 10 minutes on His goodness and provision.
Let God lead you to a way to connect and engage with each of those 5 people.
God will open doors of opportunity in your life, He always does and at the end of the week (5 days) you will have impacted 25 people’s lives.
To check out how you can provide groceries and basic living essentials for those most in need during this time, CLICK HERE.
Victoria Wilson
FCC Outreach Associate