“Napapraning na ako sa mga posts mo,” PM’d a friend.

I laughed but I quickly made a U-turn in case he wasn’t joking, “Wait, are you serious?” He just HAHA’d back.

He may have laughed but I suspect it was sprinkled with a dash of controlled panic and who can blame him? Anybody who tells me they’re not fearful is an out-and-out liar and is even a coward for lacking the courage to admit that he is losing courage. One friend has muted all sources of news as he started having acid reflux at every rise in the number of confirmed cases.

Of course, some of us may not have the mental and emotional wherewithal to take it all in so maybe we can do it piecemeal. Just get the basic important news to help us in our decision-making and turn off the news for another day. It will not do us or our family any good to be like an ostrich in this crucial time where it is literally a matter of life and death.

This fearful reaction to news and developments that can actually help us be more vigilant in our preparation reminds me of how we sometimes react to the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation. They frighten us so much that we prefer to read Psalms and sing “Kumbaya” but I think it is more frightening to be ignorant and be blindsided when things unfold. And this is why the slightest thing can set us off acting like chicken little. It doesn’t speak well of our testimony when we are more afraid of the end of the world than non-believers. Any hint that it might be end of the world should give us hope, not fear because it signals the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look beyond the chaos and see the God of order. Okay, a little fear might be expected but it should not overwhelm us. God did not give us a peek into the end times to make us fearful of them but to make us fearful of His return prompting us to assess what is really important in the same way the corona quarantine is making us realize what is truly important. Stay safe!