Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
On March 4, 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt uttered these famous words: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
This was the president’s attempt to reassure Americans they had it within themselves to defeat the Great Depression — if they did not succumb to fear that would prevent them from acting to end hard times.
They are truer words today.
Of course there is a fear as our communities face an invisible enemy. COVID-19 is everywhere and has no respecter of whom it attacks.
Our schools are closed to prevent the spread.
Our “non-essential” businesses are closed to prevent the spread.
Our houses of worship ... churches are shutting down their doors and continuing to have services by the use of technology ... the internet, Facebook Live, Skype ... whatever it takes to meet together.
Families are reconnecting as parents are working from home, children studying from home, and it seems to be a great way to re-establish the family unit.
Fear has the capability to immobilize people. The “fight or flight” impulse kicks in. Yet, as our nation, and most of the world are under quarantine conditions, we have discovered something incredible about mankind.
We are strong.
We are resilient.
We are filled with more hope than fear.
I have great expectations of our nation during this period of “fear” we face. Our families will start to unify again, sitting down and eating together, reconnecting with each other.
Our compassion for others will be rekindled as we reach out to others in our neighborhoods, our schools, our jobs, to help meet their needs because of this virus.
Our churches, thankfully, will continue to thrive, because our pastors and leaders are still doing their work in ministry to their respective flocks.
Fear will not defeat Clovis or New Mexico or any other state or country. For those of us as Christians, our faith and hope is in God to protect us. We continue to pray. We continue to have hope. We continue to press forward.
The phrases, “Fear not” or “Be not afraid,” occur 103 times in the King James Version of the Bible.
Just a simple reminder of Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me...”
There will be an end to this, and we will be ready for it. And mankind will be better and stronger when we come out on the other side.
Bonetta Hutson is an associate pastor at the Living Word Church of God, and facilitator of Celebrate Recovery. Contact her at: