Pandemic,
apocalyptic—words I thought only appeared in TV and movie scripts now used in
everyday vocabulary. What will it look like in a post COVID-19 culture? What
will be missing, different, and the same? And, what can we do now? Years ago, I
read a Tom Clancy novel describing an attack during the state of the union
address forcing the government to rebuild. Many historians speculate on
“what if?” questions. What if Lincoln lived? What if Hitler
successfully invaded Russia? What if the Protestant Reformation never happened?
The ripple effects of each historical “what if”
significantly alter history, life, and ultimately how people think. Applying an
alternate reality to what might happen on the other side of COVID-19, we might
not like those results. What I fear more is that until they see the five-year
ramifications, people might even be ok with that new reality.
Who survives a post-COVID19 culture? The virus quickly exposed
our world’s vulnerabilities. People who otherwise resist change have morphed
overnight to survive. From working from home, churches streaming worship, and
not eating with friends, behaviors changed instantly.
The new metamorphosis may not be as surprising as the long-term
end result of the loss. Like our parents and grandparents from the Great Depression,
many may stop traditional investing, will overstock their staple goods, and keep
three extra gas cans filled and ready. Will we no longer shake hands? Prior to
the virus, just a few of us suffered from OCD using wet wipes at the grocery
store to clean more than the buggy handle. Each behavior results from a loss of
trust. How long until we regain confidence in each other?
The lack of trust is just the beginning. What about the
ethical dilemmas and lines crossed during the panic? Stockpiling face masks
placed the medical community at risk. When asked why they were stockpiling firearms
and ammo, the response was to protect their food supply. While I am unsure if
Christians echo that sentiment, I would hope they see an opportunity to share rather
than hoard.
Society might lose entire industries, or at least they might
become dwarfed a bit. Chain restaurants may survive, but perhaps not favorite
local eateries. Telemedicine might become the norm. I wonder if Apple is
working on an iPhone tongue depressor. After 9-11, families could no longer
accompany travelers to departure gates. Will families permanently lose
visitation in nursing homes?
What will happen in the church and Christian ministries?
Will the Body of Christ also experience a metamorphosis? For example, will
online worship become the norm and what does that mean for giving and financial
support? Will Sunday Schools continue to meet via video-based programs? Will
those dreaded quarterly meetings become a thing of the past? Are pastors no
longer expected to show up for hospital visits? Colleges are reimbursing unused
room and board, eating up large chunks of their budget. Publishing houses are converting
products digitally and giving them away in hopes churches will remember their
generosity next quarter.
A few short weeks in 2020 could forever change the landscape
and we won’t know to what extent for years. What happens when your church
starts looking for a pastor, and our Christian colleges do not exist? Will the
church know how to spot heresy? Will they disregard doctrine? Will the church
even know when a teacher has downloaded the Sunday School lesson from the
Internet without noticing the inherent problems with the content?
“My pleasure” at
the Chick-Fil-A drive-through may not be as pleasurable when the worker greets
a hundred cars, not knowing if just one is a carrier. You want to support the
restaurants and these workers, so they will be there on the other side of this
virus. You want the person who cuts your hair, dry-cleans your shirts, gives you
caffeine, and experiences fun to be there. You want your church to share, not
hoard staples goods. Ask yourself how you can make a difference in a
post-COVID-19 world and not look around and wish you had when it counted. I
still want to trust, have community, Christian ministries, and yes, a few
pleasures if possible. We can speculate about what the world will be like in
the post-COVID era or we can do our part today. Our “What if?” for the future
starts today.
The post What Will It Look Like in a Post-Covid Culture? appeared first on D6 Family.
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