Viral (Part 2)

Yes, life as we know it has changed for the time being. In my State of Georgia, all schools and offices have been closed. School has been cancelled (When I was a child this would have been exciting news). Many people are working from home, and many more are not working at all. There are people that are without a choice, they have to rely on unemployment benefits, family, and government assistance. We are in the midst of an international crisis. Covid-19 will forever be remembered in history books.

For weeks grocery store shelves have been empty. Necessities have become hard to find. Toilet paper is almost nonexistent. Food products are being purchased as soon as they are stocked. Movie theaters, music venues, parks, eat in restaurants, and other forms of public entertainment have been closed. Barber shops and salons are no longer accepting clients. Small businesses and nonprofit organizations of all types are closed to the public. Church services have been cancelled. America's economy is taking a severe hit, and we are all going to feel the impact of the requirements put in place to keep as many Americans healthy as possible.

I just gave you two paragraphs of information you already know. You're most likely wondering what the purpose of this post is. I have a simple message to encourage everyone to remember Matthew 22:39, "Love your neighbor as yourself". People are going to have needs, and it is our responsibility to help people meet those needs to the best of our ability.

We need to view others with compassion, love, and selflessness. This includes the crazy uncle no one likes, and the neighbor that you can't stand. Everyone has someone in their life that drives them crazy, and we are not told to ignore or reject them. We are told to love others as we love ourselves. We need to see love for others become VIRAL. Love, respect, and care for others needs to become contagious.

So what is it that I am asking of you? I am simply asking for you to think of others, and to reach out in such a way that it changes the world. A lot of people are going to exit this pandemic in depression. There are going to be many people that experience the loss of loved ones, job losses, and changes within their lives that they never imagined. In fact, you may be one of those people. You may be someone that is in need. You might be someone that needs to experience kindness, joy, and love.

When you head to the grocery store, make a call to someone that can't go, or may not have the resources to get the things they need. If you know someone is in need, pick up a few extra items and leave them on that person's doorstep.

There are a lot of elderly people that do not need to go out. If they get sick, the outcome could be deadly. Ask those you know if they need a prescription filled or picked up.

The amount of things we can do to reach out to others is endless. Right now we may not be gathering in a church building, but that doesn't mean we have to stop being the Church. As the Body of Christ it is our job to be the hands and feet of Jesus. So, how can you show the love of Christ in the midst of today's tragedy?