Are You Sheltering or Isolating?

Cities, Villages, Townships Were All Affected

Shelter in Place was one of the first directives for dealing with Covid-19. What a challenge! The economy took a big hit as all segments of society were affected.

A friend, whose church was closed, had a sign in her front yard: Sheltered by Grace. That was a very encouraging message. Grace has always been explained to me as God’s unmerited favor.

In other words, God will hear my prayers because of who HE is, not because of any goodness on my part. In fact, 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

My church was open, closed, then opened again. The services are streamed online. So far, I have not felt it’s time for me to return. While sheltering in place, however, I am not isolated from my fellow believers or my fiscal responsibility.

Communication Beats Isolation, For Sure

To isolate would be to remain alone, making no attempt to connect with others. Why do that when I can easily text, call, or email? I’ve also kept the post office busy with some cards, letters, and packages.

The nice thing is that others have connected with me in those ways, too.

A gathering for me just now is one person at a time. The other day I met a friend at a restaurant where they practiced social distancing, limited seating, and servers wore masks.

A couple of weeks ago I met a friend for a picnic. I said, “Would you like to take communion together before we leave?” She said, “Yes! Where two or three are gathered, right?”

What a great response! We read scripture and prayed over the bread and grape juice as if we were in church. She said she felt encouraged, and so did I.

I Can Make A Difference, But How?

Avoid isolation. Think about the advice in Hebrews 10:24 (NKJV):

         Let us consider (think about) one another

         in order to stir up (get ourselves into action, then others)

         to love and good works.

There’s as much freedom and variety in that as there are people.

The Power of Little Things

Sometimes We Have To Look For Positive Things

In these days of turmoil, little things can easily go unnoticed. Think about your life in the last forty-eight hours. Are there any little things that have given you a lift, a positive attitude, or a smile?

For me, it would be lunch with a friend . . . sweet dark cherries on sale at my favorite grocer . . . and a long telephone visit with a friend far away.

I have friends who think it’s a little thing to sew face masks to help people deal with COVID-19. As for me, it’s a little thing to actually wear a mask if it will have a positive impact on our economy.

One thing that made me smile this week was banana bread. It’s a favorite of one of our neighbors, and I like to bake. I carefully followed a new recipe but the loaf felt heavy. The neighbor said it tasted great, but I nicknamed it the “banana brick.”

Thumbs Up For The Tongue

When talking about the power of little things, we can’t forget our tongue. What a marvelous body part! It helps us taste, which is a pleasure, and it helps us talk. It’s amazing how the tongue helps form words for every language in the world.

James points out the power of little things: 1) a small bit in a horse’s mouth controls the whole animal, and 2) a small rudder can set the course of a great ship. Unfortunately, there is no such control for our tongue (James 3:3-10).

In this passage, The Message points out some areas of caution:

By our speech we can

ruin the world,

turn harmony into chaos,

throw mud on a reputation,

send the whole world up in smoke . . .

Add some volume to your voice and your tongue can do even more damage. 

Be alert! Use your tongue powerfully for good things.

The Importance of Being Civil

Cities Are Civilized By People

People, whether highly educated or not, can still be civil. It is not a play on words to say that being civil is an important part of civilization.

To be civil, in all cultures, is to move beyond a primitive self-absorbed, me-first mentality.

Civilized people create positive cultural climates. Their basic respect for all people, enables them to interact with all levels of society. Courtesy and politeness are shown by personal choice, not social pressure.

They are not always on edge to remember rules of etiquette. Their brand of civility means relating to others through inner thoughtfulness and consideration.

An Angry Crowd Is Like A Cyclone

Lack of civility becomes quite obvious. Rioting in the streets and random destruction of property show a lack of thoughtfulness, courtesy, and respect.

An angry crowd can burn up a lot of energy. It also cancels personal choice because it does not leave time for inner thoughtfulness.

But the word “random” brings up a great reminder of how to be civil.

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) is a great concept. Search the web and you’ll find it was launched in 1995. In fact, RAK Week seems to land in February. But do we have to wait for a special week?

Simply put, random acts of kindness are thoughtful, spontaneous, and unpredictable. Reader’s Digest* had some wonderful examples.

Here’s my favorite: A three-year-old was begging for gummy treats in a store. The mom was doing her best to explain that daddy had lost his job and they could not afford any treats.

A stranger walked up and said, “You dropped this,” and handed her a fifty-dollar bill.

A random act of kindness . . . civil, thoughtful, polite, and spontaneous.

Small Things Are Important

You don’t have to be an adult to be kind. As a child, I learned Be ye kind one to another (Ephesians 4:32 (KJV). Mom taught the concept through both her words and deeds.

Be civil. Be kind. You may feel like a raindrop in the desert, but a tiny seed of hope might grow in someone from what you do.

*Reader's Digest, February 2020, pp. 82-87, Inspiration, Kindness: Pass It On!