News agencies are saturated with COVID-19 updates, warnings, and information. This is true, not only news agencies but people in general. Everyone is talking about the chaos, catastrophes, and conspiracy theories surrounding COVID.
Sadly, I have noticed that this complete COVID focus is also taking over the mind, attention, and words of Christians as well. So many Christians have joined the COVID conversation and have become just like the world around them: speaking or posting about all things COVID. Christian after Christian has become nothing more than a common, every day, wannabe COVID expert who is more than willing to regurgitate the latest COVID updates.
I don’t want to sound too harsh, and I will admit that I have been guilty of being overly distracted by COVID as well. Understandably, we are living in an unusual time, I mean, it has not been common for any of us to deal with a pandemic. It is natural and easy for even the Christian mind to be unhealthily consumed with COVID information. However, as Christians, we must realize that we have news that is far more important that we are to be focused upon and sharing with others: the gospel. We must not forget about the greatest news ever given to humankind for the most significant and most universal problem that all humankind faces. As Paul writes,
13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? 15And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)
This passage is an excellent reminder of the “news” that we have been entrusted with and the need to share it. Jesus Christ the Son of God is the world’s only Savior. As God and man, He alone is the only One that could live and die to pay the infinite price of sin that no person could every pay. Everyone who calls on Jesus for salvation will be saved. Saved from the judgment of God, saved from their sins, saved from the wrath of God, and saved from an eternity in Hell. This is good news! And this is the good news that we should be speaking about regularly, and yes even during, if not more so, during a pandemic.
People have been given a stark reminder that they are mortal. People are sick. People are dying. The count of people infected or who have died from the virus is ever before us. Many people who live as though they will never die, are now daily reminded of their mortality. As a Christian, this is your time to shine bright by the way you think and the way that you speak. Look for ways to turn conversations from COVID to CHRIST.
Though the entire world seems to be focused on COVID, let us not become unhealthily consumed mentally, or verbally with the virus. We must remind ourselves that Christ is the ultimate cure that every single human being needs. People need hope. People need good news. People need you to tell them about CHRIST!
Dr. Trey Talley, Lead Pastor and Elder