Beloved, let us love one another.  (1 John 4:7)

Is this some kind of joke? Is this really happening? This is so bizarre. It’s like a science fiction novel gone bad.  Somebody please say, “April Fools!” No…this is all real. It is all too real and here we are. The world has become sick and needs to heal. And how do we heal? By staying far apart from one another. But it is in our DNA as human beings to be drawn to one another and to have social connection. It is counter intuitive for us to have social distancing.

Yet there are many people who are social distancing every single day of their lives. If one is unhoused, a shut in, or has mental health issues, or a disability, or experiences domestic violence, or poverty, or a medical condition, these are all reasons to experience social distancing. And this is what I love about Jesus; he regularly sought out the people who were social distancing. He sought out the fringe. He sought the woman at the well who was social distancing because of shame. He sought out Zacchaeus, who climbed a tree. He sought out the lepers, who were contagious. Wherever there was anxiety…Jesus sought out the socially distanced. Even outside of this pandemic, I have thought to myself, do I do that? Do I go to the meet the needs of the fringe? Do I seek out the socially distanced? Do I regularly see or know about the socially distanced? I have really tried to be intentional in my ministry and life to reach out to all people, especially those who feel like they are on the fringe. However, this pandemic is making me think all the more on how I can do more, see more, act more and follow the lead of Jesus. “Beloved, let us love one another.”  1 John 4:7