Something I’m hearing a lot lately is “when things go back to normal.” And I find it kind of irritating.
I get it. Our lives are seriously disrupted and unpredictable right now. We want things to settle down, even out, and be normal again.
But can I make a confession?
I kinda hope they don’t.
Don’t get me wrong! I want people to be healthy, return to work, have plenty of toilet paper, and not live in fear. Those are good things.
But in this time of crisis, I’ve seen more compassion, connection, and community than in my entire life. An absolute explosion of human grace.
How big of a waste would it be if everything just went back to the way it was? If we walk away from this unique time in history having learned NOTHING?
When Jesus arrived on the scene, his message of selflessness and inclusion was so revolutionary that they killed him. The world just wasn’t ready for that yet.
But what if it’s ready now?
During this pandemic, we have an opportunity to dramatically change the way we do life, both personally and globally.
To take Jesus’ countercultural reckless love and run with it.
To let old ways of thinking and being give way to the new.
To reset priorities and adjust our idea of “enough.”
To break chains of selfishness, pride, and indifference forever.
What if we didn’t go back to normal? What if, at the end of this, we’re BETTER than normal?
“Could it be any clearer that our former identity is now and forever deprived of its power? For we were co-crucified with him to dismantle the stronghold of sin within us, so that we would not continue to live one moment longer submitted to sin’s power.” [Rom 6:6 TPT]