It is important to keep a proper perspective in all of this:

According to 2017 stats just under 7,500 people per day died in the US. Right at 1,800 a day died from heart disease. Over 1,600 a day died of cancer. Over 150 per day died of influenza and pneumonia.[1]

“Overall, the CDC estimates that 12,000 and 61,000 deaths annually since 2010 can be blamed on the flu. Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the flu kills 290,000 to 650,000 people per year.”[2]  

As of today, 1,000 people total have died in the US of Coronavirus. Almost double that died yesterday of heart disease statistically speaking. We need to be careful not to just see the number 1,000 and freak out. It is sad that those people lost their lives to this sickness. I pray for their families. However, it seems that when compared to the other daily causes of death, this 1,000 (total) number is really small.

We need to be careful when listening to the media talking about this. They are going to have us all terrified of everything if we don't use some discernment. We need to be wise, consider the whole picture, and go about our lives with a proper measure of sobriety and vigilance. Remember, don’t let the hype terrify you. Know the facts!  

What should we do during this time? As Christian people, we should do the same thing we are called to do every day. Love God first, love your neighbor as yourself second. This should be our daily goal. We must keep our love for God at the forefront of our minds every day, virus or not! And then we must go out (or in this case for many stay in) and diligently love our neighbors. It’s through this love that I am certain God will get glory through this whole situation.  

So today you have a couple of things you can set out to do. Here they are. Get busy doing them!  

 

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm  

[2] https://www-health-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/how-many-people-die-of-the-flu-every-year?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&amp=true&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15852170619968&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.com%2Fcondition%2Fcold-flu-sinus%2Fhow-many-people-die-of-the-flu-every-year