The Coronavirus itself may have turned out to be more frightful in the projection than the reality of it — unless you or someone you love died from it. Like all things that bring us fear, there is truth behind that fear. The truth that choked us is that all of us will die (unless escaping at the coming of Christ). It is only a matter of time. We’re sure, as well, that our lives could end in an unexpected way. And, beyond this, most of mankind fears what is beyond death, a just judgment for their actions and thoughts. So, when the artist inserts an unknown intruder virus on the canvas where such dark knowledge is already broad-washed as its background, fear is the result.

The aftershocks of the virus have created further fears of immense earth-side troubles throughout our world. The unknown virus will likely topple the economies of many nations, some of which were remarkably efficient and, from appearances, stable. Like the pretentious banker, they were well-creased in the front, but threadbare in the rear. This virus has exposed the pretense of wealth sitting upon debt. With businesses closing and governments bankrupt, we could see a broad expanse of poverty and joblessness, bold socialistic actions from which we will not soon be liberated, and prevailing discouragement as people try to push themselves upward with no sound footing beneath. It may bring suicides.

Or, these things may not happen.

Fear is the emotional reaction to a person’s ideation of destruction, loss and pain anticipated and imaginated [yes, that’s a word]. There is truth concerning ultimate death, pain and judgment at its roots.

Christians are subject to viruses and failing economies as well. It’s true that we live in the world. But we are not of the world. We are called by God whom we serve to embrace ultimate truths, not fear them, for Christ has done something remarkable for us. There are many such truths for believers, both related to this world and the next. We can let our emotion and mind fully wrap around those truths, and by doing so, not fear, but rise above those fears binding the hearts of unbelievers. As we know, the truths concerning the believer’s end are not designed to be fear-producing. The writer of Hebrews said that Christ became man and died so that “he might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (2:15).

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