The bible records in Luke 12:48b NKJV,
“…… For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”
Apparently, if you do have a job, can afford a roof above your head and food on your table, you are among the top five percent in the world to whom much has been given. It may not sound like it and you probably don’t feel like it but, it is a fact.
Check out these statistics from the World Bank Group website on the impact of COVID-19 on the world economy and you’ll probably change your mind. “According to the most recent estimates, in 2015, ten percent of the world’s population or 734 million people lived on less than $1.90 (£1.53) a day.
That’s down from nearly 36 percent or 1.9 billion people in 1990. However, due to the COVID-19 crisis as well as the oil price drop, this trend probably will reverse in 2020. The COVID-19 crisis will have a disproportionate impact on the poor, through job loss, loss of remittances, rising prices, and disruptions in services such as education and health care.
For the first time since 1998, poverty rates will go up as the global economy falls into recession and there is a sharp drop in GDP per capita (GDP per capita is a measure of a country’s economic output that accounts for its number of people. It divides the country’s gross domestic product by its total population).
The ongoing crisis will erase almost all the progress made in the last five years. The World Bank estimates that 40 million to 60 million people will fall into extreme poverty i.e. surviving on less than $1.90 or £1.53/day in 2020, compared to 2019, as a result of COVID-19….”
Shocking isn’t it? Changed your mind yet? No? Well, read on. Increasingly many households are turning to charities like food banks to feed themselves and for the provision of household essentials. There is increasingly more need now for these charities than ever before as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have seen and will see in the coming weeks and months businesses going under and the livelihood of many destroyed all because of this super- microscopic thing called COVID-19.
These are the economic impact but the hidden health impact apart from the obvious mortality from the disease are, worsening mental health, an increase in domestic violence, neglect, and isolation. These issues often go on below the radar because they largely go unreported.
Convinced now are you about being in the top five percent to whom much has been given? I bet you are. So much talk, so many statistics. So what is the solution? Some countries like China, Austria, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and New Zealand have through rigorous large scale testing and aggressive contact tracing managed to bring the COVID-19 outbreak under control, and life is beginning to return to some semblance of normality in those countries.
The story is sadly not the case here in the UK and so all hands are still on deck within the government and in our health institutions to bring us out of this crisis. On a positive note, testing for the virus has now been aggressively ramped up. We heard from the Prime Minister last week that we are now ‘past the peak’ of the outbreak and hopefully on the downward slope.
This suggests that the next few weeks are crucial in our fight against this dreadful virus. So let’s continue as we are and let’s not relent our efforts both individually and collectively. Collectively as Christians, we can do much more in the spiritual realm.
The story is sadly not the case here in the UK and so all hands are still on deck within the government and in our health institutions to bring us out of this crisis. On a positive note, testing for the virus has now been aggressively ramped up. We heard from the Prime Minister last week that we are now ‘past the peak’ of the outbreak and hopefully on the downward slope.
This suggests that the next few weeks are crucial in our fight against this dreadful virus. So let’s continue as we are and let’s not relent our efforts both individually and collectively. Collectively as Christians, we can do much more in the spiritual realm. Remember,
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 6:12 NKJV.
And we know this from II Corinthians 10:4 NKJV “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,”
Yes let’s prayerfully pull down this stronghold as we stand in the gap for our nation. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much so the bible says. And as we stand shoulder to shoulder and fight we know victory is already assured in Christ our Lord. Remember His advice to us in John 16:33 NKJV,
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Need I say more?! God bless you as you pray.
And now for our weekly rigmarole on the prevention of COVID-19 infection if I may call it that.
Practical advice on prevention of COVID-19 infection
1. Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitiser gel if soap is not available.
2. Avoid touching your face.
3. Always wash your hands when you get home or into work
4. If driving, wipe the door handles and steering wheel with a sanitising gel before and after driving.
5. For those working with patients, take your shoes off at the door before entering your house on returning from work and take off your clothes on entering. Wash them and take a shower. Clean your shoes with antimicrobial wipes or spray and leave them preferably in a box in the hallway to prevent cross-contamination.
6. When you go shopping leave all your shopping in the bag on the floor and wipe all sealed packaging if possible with antimicrobial wipes. Wash all fresh produce with water before refrigeration. If possible take off the outer packaging of foods and re-bag them in sealable bags. This can be tedious and time-consuming but better safe than sorry.
7. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze.
8. Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterward.
9. Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
10. Avoid handshakes.
11. Maintain a safe distance from others when out and about (at least 2 meters).
12. Avoid large social gatherings – these are temporarily banned under the lockdown and social distancing rule anyway.
13. Stay at home unless you are going out to shop for food or you are an essential service worker or you have an emergency like visiting your doctor or going to the hospital.
14. All elderly people 70 years and above and those with chronic medical conditions are well-advised to stay at home and avoid social contacts as much as possible (referred to as shielding)
15. The use of face masks or face coverings is now advised on all public transport in London (Mayoral decree). The Scottish government has also come out in support of this by advising its use in public. It won’t be a bad idea to wear one in public if one feels safer doing so. But please do remember that surgical masks if worn are disposable and should be discarded after single use.
16. Lastly if you experience symptoms please seek medical advice early.
Above all, please stay at home, keep safe, keep well and God bles