What Have You Taken From The Pandemic? Only children and fools tell the truth-Part II

Against a backdrop of competing ideas, Paul wrote to the Ephesians;

"Wake up, O sleeper,

rise from the dead, 

and Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:14

Be very careful, then, how you live--

not as unwise but as wise,

making the most of every opportunity,

because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

I recently chanced upon the disaster movie- The Day After Tomorrow where a super storm finds a crowd of survivors hunkering down in a government building.  Soon they spot another group of survivors trudging towards some unknown refuge. A debate breaks out in the hallway as to whether they should remain in their present shelter or join the group outside. A young man desperately tries to convince them to remain within the building arguing that his father, a climatologist, had warned him that the weather would deteriorate very rapidly. Anyone caught outside would instantly freeze to death. Only a few listen to him. The majority brush him aside and join the group outside.

In a subsequent scene, temperatures fall so dramatically and ice forms so rapidly as to shutter the windows of buildings. The tragic assumption is that all those who ventured outside die in the cataclysmic event. The young man and his band of close friends survive in the building.

Wake up O sleeper

In a crisis of this magnitude the chief goal is often to survive. A few may even thrive. However, if you manage to pass through this with your sanity, your life and your cherished relationships intact then you are doing just fine. If on the other hand, you are oblivious to what is happening to you or around you, you or your loved ones will likely suffer beyond what is necessary. Keep your eyes open. Seek the truth however you can. Listen neither to the naysayers nor go undiscerningly with the yes-men (and women). Do your own research! (Or simply buy me coffee😏)

Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you

Are we dead? No! The very fact that you are reading this means that you are still on this side of the eternal divide. The writer, therefore, must be referring to a different kind of ‘deadness’.

The bible describes a spiritual deadness. To be spiritually dead means to be disconnected from the Father of our spirits, that is, God. 

When one is dead, they are not conscious of the world’s realities. They have neither the capacity to fathom truth nor discern the lie. This is the harsh reality for those who are yet to know God (Ephesians 2:1-2). It is also true of the Christian who slumbers (spiritually speaking). 

Friend, Jesus said of himself,

I am the way, the truth, and the life

No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

In other words, to know Christ is to know truth and to know truth is to find the path to the Father of our spirits. You will not be able to make sense of the world and of your life until you know Him. Would you like to know the truth? Buy me a coffee😀!

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise...

In a continuing crisis the greatest mistake you could make is to give up and resign yourself to going with the ebb and flow of whatever comes your way. If you do this, you become part of the gullible crowd that is taken in by every new wave of misinformation. A good dose of common-sense, it is said, works wonders.

After the movie, I kept pondering the bible’s exhortations- Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise. Mere idle words? I don't think so.

Wisdom or the lack of it could very well mean the difference between life and death. Wisdom is simply knowing what to do in a particular situation even if it is not popular.

The bible describes two kinds of wisdom: godly wisdom and earthly wisdom. Godly wisdom comes from God and leads to life and humility (James 3.13-17). It is found within the pages of scripture and should guide our every move. Earthly wisdom is ultimately futile and leads to strife or even death. Which will it be for you?

It is godly wisdom that will help you separate the truth from the lie. The truths found in God’s word, properly applied, will save not just your life and your sanity but also your valued relationships.

...making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.

“…making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” sounds a lot like Winston Churchill’s quote. Let me sell you a little conspiracy theory- I believe Churchill stole his famous quote from the Bible! What do you think?

Beyond surviving you should also make attempts at thriving. If you can (mentally) break off from the ‘herd’, you will begin to perceive opportunities. Consider this-even in the worst of times;

-as businesses fell, others found new revenue streams and were re-invented or strengthened,

-as relationships crumbled, others were cemented,

-as souls died, others were born again and,

- as some felt lost, others gained a sharper focus and rearranged their affairs accordingly.

So, it’s never all doom and gloom. A lot depends on your perspective. I find great comfort in the words of the song by Casting Crowns- Thrive

Just to know You and to make You known

We lift Your name on High

Shine like the sun made darkness run and hide

We know we were made for so much more

Than ordinary lives

It's time for us to more than just survive

We were made to thrive.