Blame it on the ‘Rona

I’ve come to understand that whenever anything bad happens now, people tend to blame it on the ‘rona. That’s short for coronavirus, COVID-19, the pandemic…or whatever other names it goes by now. Before I go any further, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to those who have lost someone to this horrible virus. This piece isn’t meant to make light of the situation in any way, shape, or form. Millions of lives have ended in a way I’m sure no one ever thought they would.

However, I do believe some people are taking advantage of the new socially distant world we now live in. I am guilty. As I’ve mentioned before in previous blogs, I’m a homebody. Now and then I enjoy going out to dinner with friends or celebrating a major event like a graduation or birthday with others. I am fully vaccinated, abide by mask wearing rules, and try to place a good amount of space between myself and others when I’m speaking to them now. I think the only way we’re going to end this dang thing is by continuing to take important measures such as these.

That being said, I most certainly have used the pandemic as an excuse to turn down every invitation I don’t find appealing. Your brother’s cousin’s husband’s kid lost his first tooth and you’re having a banquet to celebrate? No thank you, I still don’t feel safe enough to attend. You want to try that fancy new kale restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles that will take me an hour and a half to get to due to insane traffic? I’d love to, but I live with my mom and don’t want to spread anything to her. I’m exaggerating, of course (maybe not about the traffic!), but you get the picture. My time is precious to me, and I have things I actually want to do.

I have a feeling this is the case for a lot of people – and it’s not just for trivial matters, either. I attend a very small church. It was small before COVID-19 hit. We’ve taken safety measures such as temperature checks at the door, mask wearing, color-coded wrist bands to help others indicate the kind of interaction you prefer (elbow bump, handshake, hug, etc.), and social distancing in the pews – pretty much everything you can possibly do to ensure a safe time of worship. I firmly believe that those who want to be vaccinated have gotten the shot by now.

So…why hasn’t attendance gone back to normal? I understand our digital services that air on Facebook have reached people out of state, which is awesome! Sure, maybe some left and found another church – perhaps it was time and this will assist in their spiritual growth. But what about those who are…too tired? Is that really an excuse? If they feel sick, I definitely want them to stay home, but our service starts at 10:30am. Is that really too early for most people? If we moved it to 11:00 or 11:30am, would that solve the problem? I doubt it.

Instead, I’m sure many have chosen to blame it on the ‘rona. Will we ever get back to “normal”? I don’t have that answer. What I do know is the world we live in is quite possibly the darkest it’s ever been. We don’t need a few more hours of shut-eye – we need Jesus. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Ok, so the church isn’t a building. It can be your living room as you sit there with your family watching our Facebook service. But another verse popped out at me when I was researching for this piece.

“I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete” (2 John 1:12).

“So that our joy may be complete.” I don’t know about you, but I could use some joy. I’m not the biggest fan of people, being an introvert and all, but that’s the element that gets sucked out when we don’t attempt to connect with fellow Christians anymore. We’ve made it all about me, myself, and I. A Bible study or small group is a fantastic way to start – but it’s not the end all, be all. God desires worship…even if that means sacrifice on our part.

Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” That sacrifice can take many forms, but one of them is giving up your time. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be considered a sacrifice.

Just do me one favor: continue to do everything you can to keep you and those around you safe and healthy, but don’t blame your inaction on the ‘rona. Dig deep and be honest with yourself – are you really that afraid of COVID-19, or are you just being lazy?