The Corona Survival Guide For ParentsSample

The perfect time to parent

As a parent, are you thankful for the coronavirus?

I’m tempted to answer with a definite No! Corona has infected/killed massive numbers of people and challenged us in countless ways, from unemployment to toilet paper shortages. Yet there has been a silver lining to the virus, especially for parents: It’s the perfect time to talk about Jesus.

Jesus once said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12). In other words, people don’t care much about a good doctor unless they are desperately in need of one. In the same way, people might not care about a fear-defeating King unless there’s something to be afraid of.

And there’s so much to be afraid of!

We’re afraid of invisible germs that might leave us short of breath, feverish, and isolated. We’re afraid of layoffs, furloughs, and unemployment. We’re afraid of the unknown, afraid of what we can’t control, afraid this will keep going.

Our kids feel these fears too. They know this isn’t normal. They’ve overheard our worrisome conversations. Without grown-up logic, they might feel more fear than we do.

But that makes this the perfect time to be a Christian parent. The Bible is repetitive in its command—“do not fear”—for good reason. So let me suggest a few biblical answers to the fears that might sneak into your children’s rooms these days:

• · If your child is afraid of getting sick, remind him . . . God rules. God is sovereign. That’s a fancy way of saying that God runs the show. From global superpowers to invisible germs, God is in control of everything. The same Jesus who proved his love at the cross rose up to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father where he works out everything for our good. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).
• If your child is afraid of dying, remind her . . . God lives. Jesus rose from the grave! The tomb is empty. That fills us with the hope that death cannot get the last word. Death is like falling asleep the night before your birthday, only to wake up and celebrate like never before! “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen” (Matthew 28:5,6).
• If your child is afraid of not seeing friends/family, remind him . . . God is here. It’s true that corona can affect who is “here” in the room with us. Our best friends and grandparents might not be here. Our cousins and neighbors might not be here. But nothing (and I mean that wonderfully exclusive word) can separate us from God being here. He is better than best friends. He is more comforting than cousins. He is God! And, because of Jesus, he is right here. “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

This time of the coronavirus is a hard time because it makes us afraid. But, for parents, it’s the perfect time to teach our kids about the fear-defeating promises of God.

So turn those worries into worship. God has called you to parent for such a time as this!