Loving Your Neighbor

Believers around the world are having a wide variety of responses to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Actions have ranged from churches preemptively canceling all meetings for almost a month to some doing nothing to the schedule and trusting that God is in control. This has caused some disagreement among Christians in how we should be responding. At a time of uncertainty like this, we at Medical Campus Outreach feel the responsibility to act and speak lovingly to our friends and neighbors to provide some words of encouragement.

• Be Empathetic. Fear is real. While fear may be supported or unsubstantiated, it is real. Real people have real fear and anxiety over the spread of this disease. Being a part of the body of Christ means we must be sensitive to the needs of other members of the body. Take time to listen to the concerns of others, even if they are not your concerns (James 1.19).
• Be Thoughtful. While the vast majority of our MCO student contacts may not be considered to be at risk, it is very likely that they know someone who is at risk for the most dangerous outcomes of COVID-19. And we know that some of our friends and contributors fall into this “at risk” category. Social distancing can be an act of love towards your neighbors by putting their interests ahead of your own interest (Philippians 2.3-4).
• Be Faithful. Now is the time to commit to finding time for personal devotion to God. If you find yourself in a lockdown situation, make the most of the time and find some spiritual encouragement from Bible reading, prayer, and other Christian resources. Self-containment does not have to equal spiritual isolation (1 Corinthians 4.2).
• Be Prayerful. Pray for God’s kingdom work to be done on earth, even during a pandemic, as it is being done in heaven (Matthew 6.10). Pray for Christians to be living testaments to God’s love for humankind (Ephesians 5.1-2). Aside from these general ideas, take time to pray for the specific needs (ex. loss of income, food insecurity, anxiety, etc.) of those you know who are affected by this disease.

MCO is seeking to not only remind you of these things but also lead by example. We are praying for you all in the ways described above. In addition, we have decided to postpone our CityWide event that was planned for March 27 at Jefferson. Details of the rescheduling will be sent out later when the plans are finalized. At this time we are still planning for our April medical outreach but those event details are a bit fluid as well because of the government guidelines and suggestions for waiting out the COVID-19 pandemic.

With all of the disruptions to ordinary life going on it would be easy to become frustrated, hopeless, or despondent. Yet we know that God is in control. He is not caught by surprise at the events going on around us. He is in control and has a plan for us through this time. May we all be willing to do whatever it is that he requires of us. For any questions or concerns please use the contact form below.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at MCO Philadelphia