Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village, Dimapur
We are passing through a chapter of violent weather in the history of our world. The global pandemic reduced the world’s atmosphere into a small human family with great and huge challenge as well as a drastic change. Features that perpetuate global compassion are:
Global Scenario
Seeing through Covid lens, our world is a fragile place of compassion with tears, desperation, pain, and transitory. Many good friends are disappearing even before saying ‘Goodbye’ to their beloved family members. Many numbers are deleted from our mobile phones. The Psalmist rightly said about the fragility of human world (Psalms 39:3-6). The present moment reminds us of how our body is weak while the spirit is willing (Matt 26:41) as remarked by the Lord Jesus. Seeing human bodies to appear no more, a thought hits us is ‘they could have been saved if we could work a little harder with compassion’. Faced with unprecedented global warfare and sadness, the world has become a closer family of frailty with sympathy.
Global Prayer
Christians and all other faiths are exposed to a phenomenon of helpless situation without the intervention of the Sovereign God. As the Lord Jesus offered global prayer (John 17:15, 21, 22), fasting and prayers, and religious gestures have been rendered across the world for divine protection and healing, and discovery and invention of medial ability to fight against the war of Covid-19. Prayer is the crying voice of the world’s community in the race towards victory. There is no denomination, no quarrel and no indifference in it. The world is reverberated by tears and incantation of cross-section of people. Our prayers are answered with vaccination and other healing blessings and devices.
Global Compassion
Besides prayer and intercession, nations of the world have created a rooted and passionate heart towards immunity and total healing. There is a positive change in families, among neighbors, nations, and religions regardless East, West, North and South. Victory over Covid war needs human heart, love and patience; and not nuclear weapons. There is no skin color in the race. We look at each other and see all are humans with vulnerability. It is a time that the stronger people should indentify with the weaker section as the apostle Paul testified (1Cor 9:22). Human concern, Covid aids and partnerships form a comprehensive basis of the survival of our globe, the Earth. Empathy and love expressed in action is the heart of God beyond isolationism and consciousness of territorial boundary.
Global Calibration
Naturally, media conveys the dark side of the affairs of world. But there are many good and positive things taking place around us. Silent side speaks louder. The desperation and exercise of compassion stretch the strength of governments and human institutions that generate the deposited talent and maximize given human ability and potential. In process, the global family has created a-first-time awareness of global solidarity against human enemy, becomes more passionate with neighborhood caring, capacitating medical facility, ability and maneuvering, and making deeper probing and research to protect and rescue life. Furthermore, a spirit of competence characterized by kindness and charity, and love has been developed. Justice and equality has become a yardstick in human treatment. With Covid challenge, rural-urban gap and remoteness is no longer a human isolation. Global pandemic drives theology and spirituality to revisit human reality against intellectual speculation. The theme of the Bible is LOVE which is the greatest (1Cor 13:13). Love and compassion make our world different.
Global Confidence
The Preacher reminds us that ‘there is a time for everything’ (Eccl 3:1-8). Again, we are cruising through a strong wave of storm. But let us remember that Jesus calmed the tempest while the passengers were in trouble of turbulence. Sunshine will appear behind the aerial shake. To win the battle, the need of the hour is awareness of psychological confidence, proactive social participation and partnership, and spiritual confidence and comfort.
It is the time to consolidate our strength to fight off the invisible enemy and save life. Other settlements will follow when we overcome the common enemy. We have everything when we have health and we must not sacrifice it at the altar of other issues that will follow healing, shalom. It is a time of urgency which needs uttermost cooperation and joint-hands. Under God, together, we will cross the Red Sea and together we will stand any unpredictable eventuality, beyond the present swelling current, that our world may have yet to face. God holds the key of human destiny. And as He is patiently loving, He wants us to be optimistically compassionate. He tells us “Commit your ways to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this” (Psalms 37:5).
