And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18)

Social Distancing Is Not God’s Plan

The year 2020 will be defined by two things: COVID-19 and Social Distancing. In the face of the viral onslaught brought on by the coronavirus, a social distancing is defining the cultural reaction to combat this terrible disease. Social distancing is a plan to help lessen the spread of the virus. The Center for Disease Control suggests “to stop the spread of coronavirus, health and government officials recommend avoiding large gatherings and maintaining a distance of 6 feet from other people. This reduces the chance of contact with those knowingly or unknowingly carrying the infection.” Social distancing has become an effective tool to help combat this worldwide pandemic and should be in place as a practical means of limiting the impact of the virus. There is no doubt this simple act of spacing can be an effective deterrent against the spread of the disease.

As a result of social distancing, many businesses have been shut down where it was common for people to gather like restaurants, theme parks, retail stores and beauty shops, and barbershops. Weddings have been pared down or postponed as well as funerals curtailed or canceled. Churches throughout the land have closed their doors. Some states have mandated a “stay-at-home” order with many others imploring people to voluntarily remain at home. Families are unable to gather together. Beaches, parks and recreational facilities are empty. The world has gone inside behind closed doors. It is hoped these actions will lessen the impact of the coronavirus and for all practical purposes, it seems to work. However, one side effect of these procedures is a reminder that social distancing is not the original design of God.

What has made social distancing difficult is the inability to interact with others. When God created man, there was incompleteness to the nature of man. The great Creator viewed man as a creature that needed a comparable being to make him whole. This could not be found in the animals as God brought the creatures to Adam to name but still, there was no helper just right for him. When God formed the woman from the side of Adam, the man realized the creation standing before him was taken from him and Adam said, “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh!” The union of the man and woman was the divine will of God for man to not be alone. Creating the woman, God formed the foundation of the home as one man and one woman from whence the world would be filled with the creation of God.

Nations would come following the flood when the Lord God scattered the people all over the world, as the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way, he scattered them all over the world. A bonding took place as each language became a nation and a people and societies began to prosper throughout the world. Allegiances would form across national divides uniting groups of people together as one. One of the core elements of society is the embracing of families together to form communities which in turn build nations. Social companionship is the hallmark of any prosperous nation. Uniting the populace together as one brings a spirit of unity with a common purpose and design. The impact of social distancing has gone counter to these long-held practices and has been a difficult element to accept.

It is agreed for the time social distancing must be practiced as a means to deal with the threat of coronavirus but it has not been easy. For the people of God, a long-held assumed practice of gathering together has been taken away. How many have realized the assembly as a blessing now that it is difficult to gather together, shake hands, hug, embrace and enjoy the fellowship of other people in the community of the church? The word fellowship is the relationship shared by kindred spirits in the spiritual feast of communion with those of like precious faith as they worship God together. Social distancing has removed the joy of fellowship and is not the plan of God. It serves a good purpose for the time but God wants His people to be together to build one another up in the most holy faith, exhort one another while it is called today, abound more and more in brotherly love, consider one another in order to stir up love and good works and to share in the communion of the blood of Christ.

During this present distress, social distancing is the right thing to do. Saints of God must fervently pray this disease will pass and lives will be spared. Incumbent upon everyone is the need to lessen the impact of the virus so that the saints of God can return to the divine plan of God to be together. Let all the hearts of the righteous lift prayers daily for the end of this virus that God may be glorified as a people united together showing the world an example of truth, righteousness, and love. Lord come quickly.