Regarding this current pandemic, and our responses to it, I could, as so many have, share my personal view point, but I realize I would only be echoing small pieces of shared perspectives that have already been profusely, and more eloquently stated. Who needs that?
Slowly digesting the comments of popular commentary does begin to shine light on what people really care about. Even my own shared comments inadvertently expose my psyche’s underwear as my personal bias emerges and is put on display. Not that anyone only cares about one thing, absolutely not, no one does, but two things that do begin to emerge from social commentary is to what degree each contributor cares enough about something to be willing to give up something else to have it, and to what lengths they will go to convince others of their point of view.
Unfortunately, coming to any hard and fast conclusions concerning this present situation is like trying to thumb-tack Jell-O onto the side of a speeding train, in the dark, while it’s on fire, with one arm in a sling. The subject at hand has so many variables; it is fraught with many masked motives (no pun intended), bears many misunderstandings, promulgates many erroneous conclusions, hosts many pointing fingers, shares many misrepresentations, boasts many personal opinions, is driven by many hidden agendas, has so many fables posing as facts, and so many surgically butchered facts that they show little resemblance to the truth. We have all become accustomed to personally interpreting well-groomed charts that present carefully culled data to visually persuade viewers of some predetermined idea. We have developed the skill of interpreting the public charts and relying on preferred sources that confirm our personal bias. Try as we may, we can’t escape it. Some data may be presented as a single point on the chart but each point in actuality is an error bar of uncertainty, and each bar is subject to scrutiny. Points on the charts that show us “number of cases” can actually only shows known cases, reported cases, or presumed cases, but what it cannot show is actual cases. That is unknown. The charts that display the “number of deaths” may show deaths of patients who also tested positive at the time of death, or deaths of people who showed symptoms, or deaths of patients who were in a group of others who tested positive, but what it cannot show us is actual deaths caused solely by a single disease. That is unknown. Each point on that chart is actually a bar of uncertainty, and in most cases with this pandemic, the bars of uncertainty are pretty large. Each point is only a statistical number, not an actual number, there are surely deaths that are not included, and there as just as sure deaths that are included in that number of persons with comorbidities that did not actually die of this disease. Even so, this is the nature of statistics, and mankind has learned to use statistics to our advantage, and sometimes to our welfare.
Even if some statistics are spurious, we can still all gain from this experience. One benefit of stress is self-exposure. If we are introspective we can look at our own personal reaction to the situation and begin to understand what we actually value. In this situation we can ask ourselves, what do I treasure, what am I willing to fight for, where is my true heart, on what am I truly depending, in what is my hope, where is my true home? The stress of this pandemic can be likened to a torrential storm that shakes the very foundations where we live. The storm causes me to ask myself on what is my house (life) built? Will the storm bring it crashing down, or am I safely founded on bedrock?
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." Jesus, Matthew 7:24-27
If we are left with a damaged or deleted abiding place once the rains cease and the winds calm, it is only so we can rebuild, and hopefully on a better foundation. What will we need to rebuild? As the wise realtor says: "the three most important things are location, location, and location" It is almost a sure thing that this isn’t the last storm most of us will experience. Each storm offers us an opportunity to build better than before. Let’s not rebuild the same house, but a better house, on a better foundation.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. Isaiah 28:16
While we can, let’s treasure every acquaintance; seek the welfare of all people, even those with whom we presently disagree. And if we haven’t already, find that good and solid bedrock and start abiding there.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus, Matthew 6:19-21
No comments:
Post a Comment