Christianity vs. Coronavirus (COVID-19)
History Lesson
There are several instances in Scripture where God's people shined through times of world calamity: events of the Exodus, Esther approaching King Xerxes upon Israel's behalf (Esther 4:12 - 5:, Joseph saving Egypt from famine (Gen 41-47), and systematic persecution of the first century church by Roman government (Acts 8:1-3, 9:1-2), to name a few. Through all of these events, in spite of devastating circumstances, God's purposes are seen as being prosperous and victorious.
One particular Biblical character that stands out for us in our current times is Joseph. Joseph's life sticks out in three ways: 1) he lived through personal trials and worldwide famine, 2) he was uniquely positioned (against his will) to be where God wanted him, and 3) he used his influence to transform the world. Viewing these three aspects of Joseph's life will help increase our faith as we live through the days ahead.
Joseph's Unwavering Faith
If anyone had a reason to be a victim of circumstance, it was Joseph. He was the most favored son by his Father, but when his older brothers became jealous they dug a pit to trap him (Gen 37:24-28), sold him into slavery (Gen 37:28-30), then told their Father that he was dead (Gen 37:31-35). He would later go through this same cycle of favor and betrayal as he: 1) gained favor with Potiphar to become the head of his house, only to be betrayed by his wife (Gen 39:11-20), 2) gained favor with the prison keeper to become head over the prison, only to be betrayed by Pharaohs cupbearer (Gen 39:21-23; 40:23).
One thing remains true with Joseph, he was a man of unwavering faith. Not once does scripture mention that Joseph cursed God, or complained to God about his sufferings; rather, we see that Joseph capitalized his circumstance and was able to be of great influence for the kingdom of God.
Joseph was Uniquely Positioned
What if God sovereignly positioned Joseph in dire circumstances so that he may fulfill a unique mission at specific moments in history? Is it possible that Joseph could have had the type of positions he did without experiencing the sufferings he endured? I'd like to propose that Joseph's suffering was the doorway for his missions, and without those sufferings he would have never been uniquely positioned to fulfill those missions.
In what world would Joseph been able to simply walk up to Potiphar's front door, knock, and ask, "can I be in charge of your entire household?" Likewise, when would he have asked the jailer to be in charge, or meet Pharaoh's cupbearer, and later stand face to face with Pharaoh himself? Simple answer is--never! Joseph's sufferings were the doorway to his mission.
Joseph's Unusual Influence
One characteristic that Joseph illustrates through his intense circumstances was leadership. Joseph would rise above the humiliation, degradation, and betrayal to become a world influencer. In every circumstance we see Joseph being accelerated to positions of influence and using those positions of influence with great service (Gen 39:4), stewardship (Gen 39:23), and wisdom (Gen 41:39). In every circumstance Joseph's leadership was marked with God's presence, favor, and blessing for success.
It is important to note that Joseph was not a self-made leader; rather, his leadership was the product of God's presence, favor, and blessing. Joseph was able to act as a great leader as he followed God's presence, favor, and blessing upon his life. Often, modern leaders push and pry for leadership positions and later act in that position in their own strength. Joseph did the opposite; he was a leader who followed God's leadership.
God's Intention for Today
If we allow God to minister to us through Joseph's life, then we can easily pull three applications:
- We too can have unwavering faith in this current epidemic.
- Even though we did not ask for this, or choose, to be in this current situation, God still has a unique mission for us all.
- Like Joseph, if we follow God's presence, favor, and blessing we can be influential leaders to change the world.
Unwavering Faith
Currently, many are without work, experiencing uncertainty, or dealing with major cabin fever. To say the least, we all need to practice a certain level of endurance. In view of Joesph's life we have a choice: adopt a victim mentality and get stuck in suffering, or rise above and be the leader God has made us to be and bring about transformational influence.Unique Mission
Each of us have been placed in unique situations that vary from
each individual. Like Joseph, we too can use our varying situations for a
unique God-given mission. The key for us is to see through circumstance and
find the calling to place us on mission.
Currently, the majority of us are disaggregated and
decentralized from one another, which takes the organizational functions (whether
it be work, church, or social gatherings) of connecting with others away. It
would be easy to let isolation and disconnection to set in; however, this is a
great opportunity to reinvest time to connect with immediate family or relationally
connect with others via phone, mail, or other technological platforms. The mode
in which we connect with people may be different, but the mission of being
relational and connecting with others is the same. Our current situation just
means that we need to transform the way we used to do business.
Unusual Influence
Each of us has a level of influence and leadership capacity
in these times. Using Joseph’s life as our model, we need to discern God’s
presence, ask for his favor, and recognize his blessings and simply be where
God is leading us and do what he’s leading us to do. This will look different
for many people, but if we utilize the three principles, I believe that we all
can be influential leaders and transform the world in the process.
Truth is, many people are struggling in this time and if the
church seeks to relationally connect and use their influence to make a
meaningful difference in people’s lives; then we will see a great harvest
during a time of turmoil.
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