What is a crisis? Perhaps the Chinese word for “crisis” may illustrate what a crisis is. Victor H. Mair, Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Pennsylvania notes most Mandarin words consist of two syllables that are written with two separate characters. The word for “crisis” is indeed made up of two characters. One character means “danger,” and the other character (sometimes incorrectly translated “opportunity”) means “incipient moment; crucial point (when something begins or changes).” In other words, a crisis is a dangerous change point. A time when an assumed norm is changed into a dangerous possibility. That pretty much describes the times in which people are now squirming rather uncomfortably.
At such a time we observe a number of
impacts. In the August 3, 2020, issue of Time magazine, there was a
focus upon the pandemic’s impact upon children. The writers note, “If COVID-19
is sparing most kids’ bodies, it’s not being so kind to their minds. Nobody is
immune to the stress that comes with a pandemic and related quarantining.
Children, however, may be at particular risk. Living in a universe that is
already out of their control, they can become especially shaken when the
verities they count on to give the world order – the rituals in their lives,
the very day-to-dayness of living–get blown to bits.” This places added stress
upon parents who are already trying to navigate their own pandemic stresses. Parents
magazine (07-23-20) indicates, "The majority of children are resilient
because we, their trusted parents or caregivers, do something." The
article adds, “How we choose to parent during the pandemic will determine if
our children come out of this traumatized, or able to sense that they will be
OK… Regardless of their age… children look to their parents as a guide.”
It
is true our world is in a crisis, a dangerous change point. How do we respond?
Do we hide until the crisis passes by? Do we medicate to numb the anxiety? Do
we eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die? Do we obsess and become
preoccupied with the giant virus that seems to seek to undo us? Do we see any
lessons from history that may give us a hint as to how one can successfully
cope in these crisis days?
I am sure there are many illustrations,
but there is a biblical account that offers a positive picture. In 1 Samuel 17
we see how one individual faced down one giant crisis. David faced Israel’s
crisis that was overwhelming, discouraging, and paralyzing his nation, and
responded confidently and successfully. Goliath stood before the armies of
Israel and defied them to do battle with him (17:10). He was suggesting a
representative battle where a soldier from each army would battle to determine which
nation would be subservient to the other (17:9). To Israel the enemy was too
big and the stakes were too high. The result was a crisis that produced a
paralysis for 40 days (17:16).
Along comes a young shepherd boy, smaller
in stature than the giant, but larger in faith than all of the nation of
Israel. He accepts the challenge. He did so with confidence, not only in the
skills God had given him, but also with faith in what God could do (17:34-37).
David responds to the crisis standing nine feet tall in front of him saying,
“You come at me with the sword and the spear and with javelin, I come to you in
the name of the Lord of hosts… This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand
and I shall strike you down” (17:45-46). The crisis was faced, and the giant
was conquered. How? David used what was at his disposal but ultimately trusted
in God who overruled in the battle. There is a wonderful picture of how to face
a crisis when a dangerous change point looms before us.
In these days where people are infected with pandemic paranoia, learn a lesson from David – do what we should and trust the Lord to ultimately win the battle.
Got to go now! Where did I put that hand sanitizer? Thank you, Lord, that I can trust you in my crisis!
