COVID-19 is the Villian, but Who is the Hero?

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What if the enemy in the pandemic was the cause of the pandemic, the coronavirus Covid-19? What if we could lay all our anger, grief, mistrust, and fear in the direction of this invisible-yet-deadly foe? Every one of us is a potential target, from Libertarians who squirm at their local pub being closed to businesswomen who had to layoff their treasured friends and employees. The virus succeeded in wholesale disruption, denying school kids their dreaded fifth period and terrorizing parents who love their kids but cannot change diapers while simultaneously presenting a Zoom call for work. Disruption goes deeper than lifestyle interruptions. Life itself is threatened as thousands experience a violent, ugly, and lonely death. No one is immune, literally–at least we are not sure of that yet. Is the virus an enemy? If true, why not blame the virus for all that befalls us?

We could sell coronavirus targets to shoot at. We could have support groups where people shout out their anger at how this little devil has destroyed our democracy and closed our houses of worship. We might then defy that little bugger by saying, “I’m gonna kill you by washing my hands one more time!” Besides the scientific and practical efforts, it seems like a whole campaign of propaganda against the virus might very well help us. Are we ready to pivot from slinging mud at ourselves and call out a real enemy? We have a villain, and his name is COVID-19. Every villain needs a nemesis. So, who is the hero?

A hero appears to fight COVID-19.

The hero is the one who will turn us from looking at our brothers and sisters, neighbors and co-workers, or politicians and public health leaders as the enemy. The hero will not be swayed by click-bait that will give a human face to this faceless disease. Our hero understands that even though the technical issues of finding a vaccine, providing hospital beds, and keeping the virus contained are paramount, we also are the problem. It seems that no one in today’s tribal, divided, and scapegoating world wants to own his or her problems, let alone be held responsible for the virus spreading. But, the hero knows that he or she if passive is indeed part of the problem.

The hero in our story stays home, washes hands, and wears a mask. The hero grieves the losses of neighbors and holds the tongue when unexplainable anger wells within. Heros are aware that fear is real and something to be managed. Fear looks like calling a mask unmanly. Fear looks like dehumanizing the messengers of bad-but-important news. Fear keeps us from asking more profound questions that might call us to join in fighting this unseen enemy. Our hero realizes their weakness is to give in to fear and react rather than lead, think, and learn. And, learning is not from too-good-to-be-true sources that divide. It is easy to critique, to complain, and to blame. What the hero does is investigate, think critically, and be open to complexities.

The uncertainty felt with a faceless foe.

We hate dealing with uncertainty! This is why we prefer our villains when easy to mark with a face we already dislike. Why do I think this is so? I think it’s because all of us are part of the problem right now. Subconsciously, the face we put on the invisible COVID-19 virus might as well be our own. When we call a health official, media professional, or government leader an enemy, we unmask the fact that we think a person is behind not only this disease but to blame for all our losses. It doesn’t need to be this way. If we fight ourselves, how will we have the energy to fight our true enemy, grieve our real losses, and make way for a better future? But, we’d rather take each other out. We prefer to divide our strength and aim fire towards people, not the disease. It’s perfectly human of us. But, there’s a better way.

Christians exalt Jesus as our hero. He knew that sin and death are our enemies–both in an earthly and eternal sense. By his stripes–the marks of the whip on his back–we are healed. He didn’t even hate his betraying friend, Judas, but was willing to be unjustly blamed while fighting our real enemy–death. Where we couldn’t fight, Jesus fought. But, he didn’t fight as a roaring lion. Instead, our savior bled as a wounded lamb, forever wearing scars that remind us of his sacrifice. Death was defeated and Jesus lives! Forever wearing them like a hero’s medals are these marks on his side, his hands, his feet. In a time when self-protection is our knee-jerked reaction, what will God’s people choose? We can be cohorts to a villain and let the COVID-19 pandemic thwart us by taking more lives then it should, or we can join the hero and bring life and light to the world.