Huge Impact

I think it's interesting that someone whom we see during the earthly ministry of Jesus acting impulsively, prone to fly off the handle, experience an incredible transformation to become a pillar of
the early Church, and wrote words about being sober-minded. Peter wrote in 1st Peter 5:
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

These are great words for uncertain times.  There is so much about life in general that is so uncertain, isn't it?  Yet, we have solid principles, reliable truths that can sustain us even when we encounter difficult times.  When we are feeling shaky or adrift, we can recalibrate and make sure that we are holding on to Christ our rock, our refuge, our source of strength.  We can experience His resources when we quit depending on ourselves and humble ourselves before Him.

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Christians have the chance to display a sense of confidence in God, a rational viewpoint, and a
Biblically-informed perspective. Our strength can help to enrich others. 1st Peter 1 states:
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

So, what are Americans thinking and experiencing regarding the Coronavirus?  No doubt there is anxiety and discouragement, and Christians can see this crisis as an opportunity to lean upon the resources of heaven and allow God to work in and through us.

Late last week, at the Gallup website, Frank Newport wrote an article that called attention to some of the polling that has been done regarding the virus.  I want to cover some of his material, but first, I do want to call attention to a Gallup poll released earlier this week, showing that President Trump's approval rating is sitting at 49%; that's up 5 percent from earlier this month.  And, his ratings for how he has handled the Coronavirus situation: 60%.  The Gallup website says:

Americans give the president generally positive reviews for his handling of the situation, with 60% approving and 38% disapproving. Ninety-four percent of Republicans, 60% of independents and 27% of Democrats approve of his response.

While the President is attempting to build trust and take decisive action, even though there are critics, state governments as a whole are getting higher marks than the Federal government.  Newport's summary states: "Americans have a substantially higher level of confidence in their state and local governments to handle the coronavirus crisis than they do in the federal government. The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found a 65% confidence level in state government, compared with 46%...in the federal government. The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows voters give a 75% confidence rating to their state government, 72% to their local government and 62% to the federal government."

Gallup had found that the level of confidence in the Federal government in its Coronavirus response had dropped from 77% in February to 61% in March.  Public health officials are getting high marks; as Gallup says: "The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found 84% trust the information they get from public health experts, and Pew found that 83% have confidence in 'Public health officials at the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention' to do a good job of responding to the coronavirus outbreak. In both polls, these levels of confidence are the most positive tested, higher even than confidence in state and local officials."

How's the media doing?  Newport writes:

Pew Research's survey shows that the news media are initially getting reasonably good overall evaluations from the public for their coverage of the virus situation. Seven in 10 Americans say the news media have covered the situation very or somewhat well. An even higher 82% say the news sources the respondent turns to most often are covering the situation well.

Despite these positive overall reviews, Pew finds that over six in 10 Americans believe the news media have exaggerated the risks of the virus at least slightly, including almost four in 10 who say the risks have been "greatly" exaggerated (the report also finds that, on the other hand, the majority say Trump has not taken the risks seriously enough).

How is the Coronavirus affecting individual lives?  According to Newport:

The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows that a relatively small 26% of American voters say the virus has changed their lives in a very or fairly major way. Looking ahead, less than half (41%) say it will change their lives in a major way.

He went on to say: "A Gallup survey conducted March 13-16 found somewhat more negative reports, with 36% saying the virus had disrupted their life to a fair extent and another 19% saying the disruption was major. The Pew survey found that 78% of Americans say the coronavirus will be at least a minor threat to their personal health...and 77% saying it will be a threat...to their personal financial situation."

Here are a few things we can consider:

We can remember that in whatever affects us, make sure we are responding in faith rather than fear.  Our ultimate hope is in God Himself - now, He will use government to carry out His purposes, and the Bible speaks to the government's role.  But, Christians can exude confidence in our Lord and call upon His name.  Government is not the answer, man's ingenuity and wisdom are not the ultimate answers - we need the hand and help of Almighty God.

There has been quite a bit of discussion about the importance of data - we can acknowledge that data is very helpful in determining policy; data is increasing regarding the virus.  Sometimes incomplete data can be used in making erroneous projections, so we have to make sure that the data is credible.  Some projections can generate fear, which causes kneejerk reactions; while preparation is necessary, patience in allowing data to chart a path can also help calm fears and lead to rational response.

And, can we agree to put aside this insidious contention that some leaders want to sacrifice or not take proper care of the elderly so that the economy can improve?   To falsely insinuate that people want to do harm to the vulnerable in the name of economic prosperity is irresponsible.  Let's deal in truth and put aside the harsh, false accusations that have been circulating around.