DON'T WASTE THE PANDEMIC

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

Winston Churchill said towards the end of World War II, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”  John Piper wrote on the eve of his cancer surgery, “You will waste your cancer if you do not believe God designed it for you.”

We dare not be flippant when we say “Don’t waste the pandemic“ for the suffering in this public health and economic disaster is global and epic.  But what should we learn from this unprecedented crisis in recent human history?

Seeing the world in dire need

Even as the U.S. and many countries cautiously reopen the economy, the fear of a second wave of infection is palpable.  A vaccine is not likely to be widely available till 2021 at the earliest. The road to recovery will be long and hard.

A global recession has already begun.  Even if we escape a worldwide depression like the 1930s, the U.N. warns that hundreds of thousands of children could die this year as 42-66 million fall into extreme poverty in addition to the 386 million in 2019.  Crippled by the pandemic, the world will still be facing hurricanes, monsoons, droughts, floods, and locust swarms.

Joining God’s work of redemption

But we believe God is sovereign, purposeful, just and merciful. He is at the helm of history. How can we be a part of His redemptive movement in our time?

Christ followers are called to love our neighbors and disciple the nations. What would the Great Commandment (Mt 22) and the Great Commission (Mt 28) look like in the post-COVID world?

Strategies for healing and rebuilding

Beyond relief for the unfolding crisis, we need strategies for healing and rebuilding. For missions, the urgent task lies with the emerging economies of the 10/40 Window countries.

GLS is calling for professionals and educators for 2 weeks, 2 years or longer, in health care, business and technology to partner with ministries and workers across Asia and the Middle East to rebuild lives and livelihoods, to share hope and love.

Wartime mentality

We must abandon a peacetime, cruise ship mentality toward life. This is wartime requiring all hands on deck. As in WWII, those at home must be mobilized for factories and delivery systems to support those on the frontline.

We can do this.  The pandemic has shown us how much can be done remotely with social media and technology. Nothing replaces boots on the ground.  But we can provide vital support as we mobilize people and resources everywhere to do online missions. 

A call to living simply

While sheltering in place, we also see how life can be lived simply and strategically, the mark of people with passion and purpose.  Spending less on ourselves will also enable us to give more generously to others in need.

When the pandemic helps us see the world in a new light and what is ultimately important in life, we can live with focus and fervor.  The work of saving lives cannot wait.