So What?

I’m a painfully practical person without an ounce of dreamer in me.  I always seem to be asking the “so what?” question.  Most people would probably consider me to be boring, but none of us can completely change how God wired us.

As this pandemic continues to dictate our daily lives, I’m struck by the fact that we are all stuck in the same place right now.  For some, it’s a prison; for others, it’s freedom.  Although many of those closest to me tend to see this more like a prison than a respite, I can’t say that I begin to understand exactly how they feel.  I recognize, however, that how we are responding to our current situation is greatly affected by how we’re wired.

While many are struggling to find meaning or purpose in their days right now, others are finding joy in developing new skills or having time to read new books or complete long-dormant projects.  Still others are finding ways to be useful to others during this unprecedented time in our era, and I applaud them.  There is no “right” way to spend our downtime as long as it is not self-destructive or abusive to others.  But all of us can probably look for “better” or “best” ways to spend our time – whether now or when things are normal.

Here’s the question that’s come to my mind – the “so what?” question for the COVID-19 quarantine:  when it’s all over, will there be any lasting changes in my life?  Will anything I am choosing to do today make a difference in the future?  We all have lots of time on our hands right now, but are we doing anything to develop character or prepare us for better service to others?  Or will we all go back to our individual, selfish lives and relative uselessness for God’s kingdom when it’s all over? 

I’m pointing fingers at myself as much as anyone else.  I hope that I am daily seeking God during this crisis in a way that will not be forgotten when it is over.  By default, God’s presence and friendship are currently replacing the presence and friendship of others; but let me not lose sight of the importance of God's presence and friendship even when I am able to return to the presence and friendship of others in my life.  As the quarantined weeks go on without an end in sight, I challenge you to think beyond right now and choose to start building a future that makes a difference.