What is Our Job Right Now?

When our children were young Joel would tell them that being in school and doing the best that they could at the time was their "job".  They went to school to "work" on getting an education.  We all had our jobs to do and their job was going to school.

In the way my mind works, what Joel told our young kids came to mind when I thought about what is happening all around us.  Obviously, our world has changed, and each governor has issued instructions for their states to follow to attempt to stop this virus from infecting and killing large numbers of people, thus overwhelming our medical communities.  Most people are compliant with what they are being told but others, for reasons beyond my understanding, choose not to comply.

So I have been asking, "What is our job right now?"  How do we do our part from the confines of our home where we have chosen to stay?  My response to my own questions is, "Our main job right now is to take this seriously.  Stay home when we can.  Self-isolate.  Act like the virus is in us or all around us and stay a safe distance from others.  We live less than an hour from Minnesota, here in northern Iowa.  Minnesota has issued a stay at home, shelter in place order, only going out for essentials.  Our governor is not putting any stay at home policy in place as she feels Iowans are smart enough to do on their own.  One of only a few states who have NOT requested residents stay safe and shelter in their homes.

Our job right now is to make good choices for ourselves, protecting ourselves and others in the process.  God gave us faith to stand on, and He also gave us wisdom.  We need both right now as a nation, so we are following the Minnesota guidelines and have been sheltering in place for 15 days.  Recently, the scientists have given us some pretty gruesome data to digest, and it affirms our decision to shelter in place.  Most people we know are doing so if they can.

Those of us staying home and not on the frontlines, feel helpless when it comes to "doing something" to help.  Of course our first line of defense is to pray.  It is vital to reach out to God at this time and pray for others.  Some still have to go to work, our two sons are on that list.  Our medical workers, first responders, etc. are doing all they can to serve and save lives.   Others are shopping and checking in on their elderly or health compromised neighbors.  There are many who are making homemade masks to deliver to hospitals and nursing homes at their requests.  Social media is lit up with people sharing their musical abilities online, and there are many church services and Bible studies available on your phone or laptop.  There are more cute and funny videos out there to make us smile and laugh at than ever before.  Laughter is good medicine.   People want to do something to help and connect as we live in cocoons, practicing social distancing and self isolation.

So, as I reflect on what Joel told our kids decades ago, I am applying it to myself, to all of us. It may not be what we want to do right now........but may I suggest that social distancing and self isolating is our job.  And doing our job cuts down on the risk and the work loads our medical people, police and first responders have to do.  Staying strong in our faith is our job right now. Remembering and touching base with those we love and care about is our  job right now.  You may have other things to add to your job list.

As each of us "do our jobs right now", doing the best we can in the process, we lift you in prayer.  Prayers for our family, friends, loved ones, our neighborhood, our community, our city, our state, our country, our world.  We will get through this.