I'm supposed to be on an airplane right now, on my way to a funeral for a family member. However, my fear got the better of me and I'm feeling pretty lousy about giving into it. Score 1 for the Coronavirus.
I hate it when fear gets the upper hand and I cave in.
Of course, there's the practical voice that points out the wisdom of not getting on that plane. The CDC recommends avoiding all non-essential air travel. There's a voice saying, "Think of the people you might have infected at the funeral had you been infected with the virus while walking through two airports and enduring a 3-hour flight."
That just about sums up the age-old battle we face most days between our faith and our fear. We know it well as parents raising our children. What's the length of "the leash" we have on our kids when it comes to their choices? Are we constantly afraid of the consequences they'll face when given the freedom to choose?
With that mindset, another question pops up: "Are we teaching our kids to be fearful and to become fearful adults?"
My faith tells me we're going to come through this pandemic; that we're going to recover and get our normal lives back again. My faith tells me that there's reason to be hopeful and to rest assured, in the grand plan God has for life.
Jim Stockdale, the highest-ranking POW of the Vietnam war, said we must embrace the paradox of confronting the brutal facts, AND never lose faith in an eventual victory.
Brutal fact: Our lives are being disrupted in an unprecedented way.
AND…
Absolute faith: The virus will be conquered and we will grow stronger through it.
So, what do we want our children to learn from this struggle between Faith and Fear? After all, they face smaller versions of this fight every day at school, in their sports, and with their friends.
I believe we want them to be life-warriors; to embrace the paradox of fear AND faith. Does it have to be one or the other? I think not.
We might lose some battles, but each of us can contribute to winning the war. We need not live in constant fear. It's not healthy. Nothing good can come from it.
We are strongest when we listen to the voice that guides us to make wise choices, to discern the prudent choices from the foolish ones. Let's teach our children to become skillful at the genius of the AND, not victimized by the tyranny of the OR.
It's our ability to have respect for our fear AND resolve for our faith that creates a life well-lived.
Score 1 for life.