Choosing Faith over Fear

Americans remain highly concerned about the coronavirus, even as parts of the country begin to reopen. While the root cause for these concerns varies — recent polling indicates that a slightly higher percentage of Americans fear the economic effects of a prolonged period of quarantine (49 percent) than the health threat posed by the virus (45 percent) — the fact remains: Americans are afraid.

A certain level of anxiety is understandable. We live in challenging times, in which concerns about rising unemployment, access to healthcare, and the possibility of an economic recession dominant the headlines. Loved ones are losing jobs, small businesses are struggling, and churches are having to reevaluate how they do ministry. In this context, fear is a natural human reaction.

But Christians need to think very carefully about the current moment and the important conversations taking place around us. In the weeks ahead, those in authority ought to be guided by the principle of neighbor love and ensure all their decisions honor the inherent dignity of everyone made in God’s image. Christian doctors, businessmen, and policymakers should prayerfully consider how to balance the reopening of the country with protecting the health of Americans.

Unfortunately, there are always those who try to exploit a crisis by further stirring up fear. There have already been examples of state and local authorities using the current situation as an opportunity to amass more power for themselves. However, Christians must recognize the dangers of allowing fear to drive the national response. We should caution our friends and neighbors about the hazards of an alarmist mentality that could ultimately lead to the government assuming excessive power. Such conditions have historically lead to the suspension of civil liberties. The government has a vital role to play in addressing the crisis, to be sure. However, fear-driven people placing all their trust in government is highly dangerous. That is why Christians must be vigilant and ensure they are being guided by faith in the principles of God’s Word, rather than fear.