10 reasons I can personally be thankful for Coronavirus today... (Admittedly, could be titled "My Covid-19 Soapbox Sermon"...)

1. Isolation empathy: Most of the time people in America have no idea what it is like to be isolated spending most days only at home while cooking most of the meals and homeschooling, entertaining, trying not to go crazy without babysitters or help from family. Finally, people understand our situation better and have more compassion for the daily stress we experience.

2. Isolation compassion: suddenly I can stream more worship services than I have time for. Why didn’t I think to ask churches to do this for overseas workers before? Video is much better for feeling connected than sermon podcasts. American Christians maybe will not take their fellowship and christian resources for granted.

3. Isolation compassion: imagine never having relatives around for birthdays, holidays, special occasions, support for emergency medical needs, etc. Now, you can. We are constantly dependent on God to support us because we have no one else — daily and in emergencies.

4. “Sudden Poverty” compassion: suddenly out of work? Lost your insurance? How often we judge people who find themselves in difficult situations beyond their control. Maybe we will show greater love and compassion for people suffering because of our fragile economic system, and deplorable medical/insurance system.

5. Gratefulness for “daily bread”: you are rich if you have the money, ability, and availability to “meal plan” and cook. For most of the world, “meal planning” or stock-piling is an extreme luxury. These words aren’t even a part of culture here (except maybe “rich” or “greedy”), because the ideas are so strange. Maybe we will be grateful for our daily bread and thankful to God the supplier of our physical needs. also, I am in the “rich and greedy” category because I can buy a week’s worth of food at once.

6. Parenting compassion: not sure you are teaching your kids enough? Or, worrying you’re too structured/not structured enough? Don’t have access to parks, libraries, fun places to go? Feel guilty about what you’re feeding them/what groceries you have available? Watching too much TV? Don’t have a separate computer for each kid to use? Feeling too overwhelmed by emotions or daily life struggles to focus on teaching? Feeling bad your kid isn’t in sports, music, dance, etc.? Me, too. Let’s all cut each other some slack and have compassion for different personalities and parenting styles. We all love our kids and are doing the best we can with the resources and opportunities available to us. Parenting is the hardest and best job we have that requires perseverance, grace, prayer, and lots of forgiveness! None of us have it all figured out! But, our kids are worth OUR time and attention, and they are OUR responsibility and blessing!

7. Halt of the rat race/end of ridiculous competition about things that don’t matter. Enough said.

8. Realization (I hope!) that the most important things in life aren’t things, but the people we love and care about.

9. America’s “Big 5” Idols have been dethroned! They were never worthy of your worship anyway. Control is a lie. (God’s Will will prevail!) Security is a false hope. (We rely on the mercy of God!) Health is not a guarantee. (Our fragile lives are a mist.) Wealth is illusory. (Our treasures are in heaven!) Independence/self-reliance isn’t really what any of us need or want. (We must bear each other’s burdens to show the world the love of Christ!) God will not share his glory with Idols, even American ones.

10. “The last enemy to be destroyed is Death” and only One man has defeated it. Salvation is found in no one else. I have a greater hope and firm confidence in the Resurrection of the Dead and the coming of the Kingdom of God where every tear will be wiped away. And, that’s the Good News.