Stay the Course
Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash
As people who know me will attest, one thing I am very good at is nagging. It’s a skill that been finely crafted down through the years. I mention this because what I am getting ready to write could across as nagging because I have mentioned it so frequently over the past weeks. It is an encouragement to stay in the battle. Take good care of yourselves. As time has passed, it is easy to become weary about this whole situation. For example, I find myself being tempted to not wash my hands as much or slip into this store or that store without a mask, etc. I don’t know what precautions you are taking, but don’t stop.
We need to complete the race. We need to “relax” without being “lax” and that’s no easy task. So the question becomes “how do we do that?” Should we just keep plodding onward? That type of discipline might be a part of it, but I would like to suggest something much more meaningful.
In his letter to the Colossian church, the apostle Paul offers instructions on how to live their faith to various groups in the Colossian society. One of those groups is slaves.
Before going any further, it is necessary to say that slavery is a horrible institution, but it was prevalent in Paul’s culture.
Here is some of what Paul said.
Colossians 3:22-24 (NLT)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
To say the least, this is a very sobering and challenging passage. Paul does not rail against the institution of slavery or try to change the cultural practices of the day. What he does do is encourage a new perspective or paradigm. He challenges these people to change their mindset or attitude even though the circumstances have not changed. They were still slaves and slavery was still a bad thing. However, there is a much bigger picture. He points out that they are working to honor God. He is their real master not their earthly owner and because He is their ultimate master, there will be a great inheritance. He is challenging them to focus on God in the midst of these circumstances. Subsequently what has seemed meaningless now has significant spiritual value. Their work is not something one simply grinds out to avoid bad consequences, but a chance to serve God in a difficult circumstance. There is Kingdom value in what they are doing.
Although many slaves were treated well in that era, it would be ridiculous to compare what we are going through now in a quarantine season to what slaves in Paul’s era went through” However, I do think there are principles we can adopt from Paul’s instructions to the Colossian Christians.
In our situation, we’re kind of “enslaved” to circumstances (and corresponding rules) that are beyond our control and it is easy to adopt a mindset that says if we can just make it through this season without catching the virus, we’ve been successful. There is certainly truth in that. However, there is also a much bigger picture.
This is an opportunity to “lean into” God and try to discern what He wants to teach us. It is an opportunity to focus on something bigger than ourselves and not simply the day to day struggle of keeping rules and hoping to not get sick.
I believe it is our Christian duty to keep the guidelines, but, as mentioned earlier, this is a unique opportunity to develop a life changing and life giving perspective. It is an opportunity to trust Him in the middle of difficult circumstances. It is a unique opportunity to remember that He is our “master” and for us to do things His way in the midst of a crisis and difficult circumstances. He is our first priority and If we can learn and apply that, I believe it will change our attitudes and lives in a most significant way.
So, let’s stay the course, not simply because we don’t want to get sick, but because we know what the bigger picture is. It’s a unique chance to focus on and serve Jesus. It’s summed up well in Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
One last time, if you struggling to maintain a perspective or having problems with depression, anxiety, irritability, frustration, etc. please don’t hesitate to call. These times are genuinely very difficult and can easily be emotionally draining. May God Bless you!