When people venture into public places, they do so with an attitude of high suspicion to everyone they meet, acting as though every interaction with a stranger might kill them. We literally view everyone as toxic. I understand the reasoning here. But we must consider how this attitude changes our hearts.

Some readers of this column had parents or grandparents who could recall the Depression. Unsurprisingly, living through that even left a mark on that generation. While it certainly didn’t affect everyone the same way, often those of that era were often especially frugal. They understood that provision can be fragile and that waste is unwarranted.

None of us have any idea how our current situation with the coronavirus is going to play out. But it seems likely that this pandemic will leave a mark on us, much as September 11 did before it. How will these days change us? And will those changes make us more like Christ or less?

I cannot predict the long term consequences of this with certainly, but I want to offer one caution that I think is needed.

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