The Vaccine for the VIRUS

William Golding wrote his famous novel Lord of the Flies in 1954. Inspired by witnessing the evils of World War II, he wrote the classic story of pre-teen boys stranded on an isolated island with no adult supervision or authority.  Jack, the antagonist of the novel, uses fear mongering of the imagery “beastie” to control the boys and stir manufactured loyalty. Simon is the only infallible, pure, and innocent character, but he ends up getting murdered by the boys’ thirst for food and power. Simon’s most famous line is, “Maybe there is a beast…Maybe it’s only us” (Golding 80). 

As the CoronaVirus pandemic spreads across the globe, swiftly changing the lives of billions of people, I am more convinced than ever before that the virus is us.  Thirsty for control and security in the midst of an unprecedented time in history, consumers rushed to hoard scads of unneeded resources: toilet paper, baby wipes, meat, pasta, and so much more. Our most vulnerable citizens have been left without food, water, formula, and medicine needed to survive.

But rising from the midst of the most contagious infection: greed and fear, a glorious vaccination of renewed kindness, compassion, generosity, and love is being distributed. Church buildings across the United States are shut down by executive orders, but the church was never intended to be defined by a structure of bricks and steel in the first place.  God’s people are the church, and His plan is and always was for His people to make His message of hope and redemption spread like a contagion throughout the earth. Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 when he says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” 

Jesus truly is the Prince of Peace, and more than ever before I’m witnessing His people spread peace and hope like a contagious infection.  Yesterday Matthew West and his daughter live streamed free worship. In the middle of the night, Grammy winning artist Lauren Daigle posted music to soothe the anxious soul. Though the local library is closed, the management still left free books, toilet paper, puzzles, and other resources for the community to take.  With little training, teachers transitioned to digital education in a matter of hours and are creatively mastering their profession while still enriching the lives of students.  

Neighbors are checking on the residents around them. Stores are setting hours that are exclusively for the elderly. My husband, who is a pastor, spent his week checking on the families in his flock, and we touched base with several couples who have left our church to worship elsewhere.  Those who no longer worship in the same sanctuary with you each week are still your brothers and sisters; don’t let any lie of the world ever make you think differently. We have delivered meals and shared resources this week; and this arrangement mirrors the church in Acts. The early church spread like a virus across the Middle East because His people took care of the needs of ALL. The movement was contagious.

Jesus is calling us all to make Him contagious again. He is the vaccination, and His people are the tools to administer it. He is the solution to all the needs you could ever face in a pandemic. Stressed out and fearful over the future?  He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Costco out of bottled water? Jesus is the Living Water (John 4:10). Can’t purchase bread anywhere? He is the Bread of Life, and those who eat of it will never go hungry (John 6: 35). No paper products because someone bought a twelve year supply?  You could even call Jesus the clean, white toilet paper that comes to wipe away the filth of the world, and the awesome thing is that the roll never runs out! Let’s stop the virus today with the only vaccine that will ever cleanse the world from suffering. Spread the love of Jesus today. 

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Perigee, 1954. 30.