Coronavirus…What Now?

Every generation has one significant event that shapes and defines how people experience the world. Some examples are:

• The Exodus

• Bubonic Plague

• 9/11

• The Middle Passage

• American Revolution

• WW1 & WW2

• The Renaissance

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is most likely the once-in-a-generation event for this generation. There is so much we still don’t know about the virus and it’s lasting implication in our world. Everyone is asking questions. However, I believe whoever has all the answers, doesn’t truly understand the questions. Here’s what I mean…

I spoke to a business leader recently and asked him what could faith leaders learn from business leaders, as they strategize during this time. His answer was simply, “there is no strategy”. I was initially surprised, but then I settled into the rich philosophy of this perspective.

The point of his answer was that these are unprecedented times. Has the world experienced pandemics before? Yes - there have been pandemics and plagues historically. We’ve read about them. But, we are living in this one and we don’t fully know how this will end. There is much outside of our control, and many are realizing that now. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus puts it this way:

The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control.

What does this mean for you as you observe what’s happening in our world right now?