Coronavirus. Quarantine. COVID-19. Shelter-in-place. Essential/non-essential businesses.
These are the words that flood our current daily happenings.
Had anyone told us a year ago about COVID-19 and the means by which it would disrupt our lives, we would have likely laughed in their face. Not only are these words absent from our normal vocabulary, they would be difficult to define without the disease that has so abruptly turned our lives upside down.
How this virus affects each home is unique—it is specific to varying jobs, homelife, health, and schooling situations—yet, as believers, we know that God allows everything in our lives for his good purpose (Romans 8:28).
These moments are a gift
God has allowed (or perhaps more accurately) given us this exact moment in time. He has given us this moment of uncertainty in our jobs, this moment of abundant family time, this moment of insecurity about how we school our kids.
He has granted us this moment of bearing the weight of responsibility for employees and their families, this moment of really wondering from where the money for bills will come.
He has imparted upon us this moment of constant sibling rivalry, this moment of trying to figure out how we can still wear pajamas in a zoom meeting, this moment of seeing our kids’ excitement toward graduations, celebrations, and tournaments turned to hurt and sadness.
God has given us each of these moments for his good purpose.
Every opportunity today is a Gospel opportunity
All of these difficult scenarios give us opportunities to be an example with our kids.
Our faith is being put to the test in the four walls of our homes. When we face job loss, we get to show our kids that our hope does not stem from this earth (Romans 15:13).
When we are given yet another opportunity to break up a fight, we are able to walk our kids through biblical reconciliation. We are called to acknowledge what Jesus has done for us (Ephesians 4:32).
When we walk our kids through disappointment in this season, we empathize, love them well, and help them build their trust in the only one who will never disappoint (Romans 5:3–5).
When we lose our cool because we weren’t meant to be “homeschool moms,” we are given an opportunity to model firsthand what it looks like to humbly ask for forgiveness (Hebrews 12:14, Colossians 3:12–17).
When we are finally able to have dinner together every night, we are granted an opportunity to disciple. We can have gospel conversations and share personal stories of grace that we sometimes miss telling because of time constraints (Deuteronomy 6:5–7, 1 Timothy 1:16).
When we see others in our community, we can take the time to be the hands and feet of Jesus (Mark 10:45).
Will you take this opportunity to model what an eternal perspective looks like? Will you take this opportunity to live a faith worked out? Will you take this opportunity to share how good God has been to you with your kids—what he really has rescued you from?
A call to parenting beyond the Corona
The crazy thing lies in the application of all of these truths to our daily living. They don’t just apply to the big historical, monumental times like we are living in now. They are applicable to the mundane of school mornings, to the patience needed for potty training and emotional teenagers, and to everything in between.
All of these moments in life and parenting have been given to us to further the gospel and bring him glory.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, moms and dads, let us today rise up to the opportunity that God has given us! Because of the circumstances he has allowed, let us be the best view of the gospel that our kids have seen in a long time.
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
