By: Dierdre L. McCool, Vice President - Butterfield Foundation
So many things have changed since the Coronavirus entered our world. At Butterfield Foundation, we experienced a COVID-19 workplace exposure on March 13. Within three hours, we scrambled to put policies and technology in place to allow our team to self-quarantine and work from home. Like many other states, Oklahoma had Shelter-in-Place legislation that launched within a few weeks of the exposure. Thankfully, we had become experts at telecommuting!
During the early days of the pandemic, responses to the unknown befuddled me. Mass hysteria seemed to be ever-present as was the lack of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, bread, flour, and toilet paper. Businesses closed, highways were eerily empty, and masks hid smiles. Fear and anxiety were constant undercurrents. Many charitable clinics and social service organizations started to struggle financially. Securing PPE and other necessary supplies to minister to at-risk populations was proving expensive. The Butterfield Foundation acted quickly, setting aside $200,000 in Covid-19 grant funding.
In my neighborhood, I noticed some interesting ripple effects. Children began to appear on our sidewalks on bikes, scooters, roller skates, and at our pond with fishing rods. Dads and moms strolled by our house holding hands. Unruly yards morphed into garden masterpieces. My life also changed. My husband and I cooked healthier meals, walked every morning, and increased our prayer life. We had more time for family and friends. Jesus was – and still is – resetting my pace and priorities.
I recently learned Corona means “crown” in Latin. In essence, COVID-19 is the “crown virus.” Based on how things have changed, I would certainly agree it wins the prize for changing the world in 2020. However, another Person wore a crown that promises eternal change: Jesus Christ. Over 2,000 years ago, He donned a crown of thorns so we could experience redemption and complete restoration. Thankfully, His crown trumps all crowns!
It seems as if God is up to something during this pandemic. He recently brought the following Scripture to mind:
Isaiah 43:18-19 - “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
According to Christianity Today, millions of worried people who turned to the internet due to COVID-19 anxiety have ended up connecting with Christian evangelists and coming to know Jesus. They have exchanged a mutable crown of fear for an immutable crown of love. The Great Commission is resetting…it is going digital.
Many of the charitable clinics in Oklahoma – and throughout the nation - upgraded technology and implemented telehealth. The ability to reach more patients with whole person healthcare is expanding. Is He in the process of re-setting healthcare too?
I think He is offering all of us a chance to reset our lives.
In closing, I want to encourage everyone to evaluate heed the words of the Isaiah to see what – if anything - Jesus wants to “reset” in your life. The following are a few questions to help you get started:
What needs to be “set again?”
What needs to be different?
What specific areas of life would you like to change?
Where do you need to spend less time?
What do you need to more of?
Why do you want to change these things?