Seeing Sickness

Seeing Sickness

The Grace of a Pandemic

Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick.  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Mark 2:17

We live in a world today demanding our attention.  I look out the window of the coffee shop in which I sit and I see at least six signs outside of businesses begging for a glance.  I see at least three digital signs which are changing images every three seconds in order to grab my eye.  I see right now three vehicles that have billboards printed along the side promoting their business.  I see at least two printed flags asking me to notice either a sale or a promotion that is running.  Fourteen pleas for me to notice in order that I respond.  

I also know I could hop online right now and open the newsfeed to read about the latest state of emergency with the Coronavirus.  Not only is there threat of pandemic, there is now talk of this virus being an “infodemic.”  So many calls for our attention to see how bad it’s gotten.  How far it’s spread.  How close it’s getting to us.  Why is this potential pandemic generating an infodemic?  Because it reveals our vulnerabilities and our feeble attempts to deny that we are, all of us, infected with a condition that leads to death:  sin.

When I read Jesus’ “mission statement” in Mark 2:17 as well as in other gospel accounts, I’m struck by his winsome use of absurdity in the statement:  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.  I was imagining if Jesus were to set up a billboard, a storefront sign or a flag in order to draw in the “righteous.”  How many people would line up?  I’m guessing people would not be bursting through the doors.  Maybe a handful of religious leaders who believe they just need a brush up or stamp to say they’ve already got what the store was offering.  

But what if instead Jesus set up a billboard, a storefront sign, a flag which said “vaccination for those vulnerable to the Coronavirus.”  The line would span the globe.  We all know deep within us, we’re the sick.  As strong as we think we are, we read the attention-grabbing headlines knowing CV could kill us.  And when we see our sickness, it is a grace.  A grace to see that without some external intervention, we’re not going to make it. 

Jesus, the only physician of the soul, offers a cure to our predicament of incoming and pervasive death.  His life.  He is the hope for the sick soul.  Hope for the one who needs assurance in their illness of sin, that a remedy can be found.  His perfection treats our infection.  And our infection is treated as it is put upon him on the cross.  Will we pay attention to the call out to us which says there is a cure because there is a Christ?  

Father, turn our eyes upon Jesus that the things of this world will grow dim in the light of His glory and His grace.  Amen.

Thoughts for Reflection

What are you finding lately calling out for your attention which you’re prone to devote a lot of your mental, emotional or physical energy?

What evidence do you have right now that you are one who is in need of spiritual treatment?  

How might the attention-grabbing headlines lead you toward the Great Physician, Jesus?