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Pandemic

These days, the leading story on nearly every newscast has to do with a threatened swine flu pandemic. Reporters track down medical experts around the world for their assessment of the situation and their recommendations for action.

Some are urging people to avoid social contact, especially shaking hands, to keep germicidal products handy so they can use them several times a day, to stockpile nonperishables for a worst case scenario, and the like. Others call for little more than vigilance and an understanding of what might be involved in weeks to come.

I’m particularly struck by the human interest aspect of the story. Among the people I’ve heard interviewed are vacationers, brides, and businessmen who have plans to travel to Mexico. It seems that people are still travelling for business purposes, though they are taking precautions to avoid possible exposure to the virus.

One bride I heard was panicked. Her destination wedding was in peril. She’d calculated that to change locations would cost her several thousand dollars more and each of her guests several hundred dollars more. She was frustrated and upset but determined to find some kind of solution - prepared to change her plans to realize her purpose.

The most interesting interview to me was with a young man who had planned a vacation in Mexico. He felt the whole thing was totally overblown. There was no way he was going to change his plans. He figured he’d just take his chances because he felt the odds were in his favour.

Meanwhile, I was in touch with a friend on the ground in Mexico City and in his last email to me said “In many ways, the city has stopped functioning.” People closest to the situation are taking no chances. Schools are closed. Restaurants serving “take out” only. Churches have cancelled services. Sports venues are closed to the public, though it seems games are still being played for the sake of media interests.

As I contemplated all this I thought of the parallels between the swine flu pandemic in the physical world and the sin pandemic in the spiritual realm. Some carry on with life, but try to avoid contamination. Some are determined to face this on their own and simply alter their plans to get through it. Some think they are invincible and take their chances. Others are next to paralyzed, putting life on hold until they think the worst is over.

The Bible tells us that sin is a fact. It affects everybody. It has unavoidable consequences. There is only one hope. That hope is based on the fact that Jesus died for our sin, taking its consequence of death on Himself, so that we could live. There’s no parallel to that in the material world.

Ron Hughes
© April 2009