COVID, Roger Bannister and Jeremiah 29
COVID, Roger Banister, and Jeremiah 29
It is well documented that the 4 minute mile was deemed physically impossible for many years. When Roger Bannister broke the barrier that turned out to be psychological rather than physical there was a wave of people that broke through.
When Bannister broke the mark, even his most ardent rivals breathed a sigh of relief. At last, somebody did it! And once they saw it could be done, they did it too. Just 46 days Bannister’s feat, John Landy, an Australian runner, not only broke the barrier again, with a time of 3 minutes 58 seconds. Then, just a year later, three runners broke the four-minute barrier in a single race. Over the last half century, more than a thousand runners have conquered a barrier that had once been considered hopelessly out of reach.
There are undeniably millions of people directly and dramatically impacted by COVID physically and financially. This message is not for them. The majority of the population however are less dramatically impacted by shelter in place.
The collective society has deemed thriving during shelter in place impossible. The motives for this becoming the dominant narrative are good and compassionate. There are however unintended consequences of our effort to not pile guilt or shame on top of those that are struggling. I wholeheartedly agree that no one should feel guilt or shame over struggling while adjusting to new work realities, new social realities, and a constant stream of scary news stories.
There have been countless lists that prescribe how to thrive in quarantine, but we don’t need a list of how to thrive, but rather a narrative that says that we can thrive in the midst of hard circumstances.
We need Roger Bannister.
The western church has messed up our theological understanding of how God interacts with hard circumstances. We have too often been a triumphalist religion that rushes to Jeremiah 29:11 and passes over the rest of the chapter. We quote Phillipians 4:13 but don’t want to talk about the verses that precede it.
Chapter 29 of Jeremiah is a message from God to his people who are in the midst of 70 years in exile. God tells his people to, “Get married, build homes, plant gardens and seek the flourishing of your city.” In other words, “Settle in, we are going to be here for a while.” It is not until after this that he says the oft quoted, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
I printed Philippians 4:13 on the side of my tennis racquet when I played college tennis. Steph Curry has made this verse cool for young kids on the front of their Under Armour t- shirts. I believe these young kids and the college version of me understand it wrong when Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Unfortunately I don’t think it means Christ can give me the strength to make first serves or to shoot 50% from three. What Paul actually says is that Christ can give us the strength to be content in all circumstances.
Phillipians 4:10-13 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Paul’s letter to the church at Phillipi was written from prison.
Paul is not saying Christ will give you the strength to change your difficult circumstances (though of course he could) what Paul is actually saying is that Christ can give you the strength to thrive in hard circumstances.
Can the apostle Paul be our Roger Bannister?
Can you be Roger Bannister?
With an abundance of grace let’s change the narrative that thriving in hard circumstances is possible.