Numbers are just numbers. Deaths statistics are just statistics. We often gloss over these numbers because we can’t comprehend the amount of death. On December 16th, 2020, 3,611 people died from COVID-19. 3,611 people who had families. 3,611 people who will no longer be around for Christmas. Pastor Kent (pictured above) was one of those 3,611 people who died on December 16th.
Even though I worked on staff with Pastor Kent at Brookside for five years, I didn’t know him that well. He was one of those people that I saw in the hallway and said “Hi” to or struck up a short conversation. I didn’t know him very well, but I knew him. One of the things I remember about him is a phone call in January 2018. After my Grandpa passed that January, Pastor Kent called my dad and left a voicemail offering his condolences and saying a prayer for him and our family. It was a simple act, but it meant a lot—especially during a time of loss.
When we see these COVID deaths, we don’t see the full story behind the people who have died. We don’t see their faces, and we don’t hear their stories. They become another statistic, and we move on with life. And, in the process of this year, I feel like this has caused us to lose our humanity. We brag about flouting guidelines or choose to ignore them because it’s “government overreach,” and we don’t want to be inconvenienced. We criticize those who obey these guidelines and label them as “sheep.” We demean those who don’t agree with us politically, and we write off their conviction to wear a mask and obey guidelines as “being brainwashed by the media.”
But, in the process of all of this, we lose our focus. We ignore the deaths. We ignore the hospitals that are running short of beds. We choose not to see the nurses and doctors who have barely been staying above the water these past nine months. We no longer see this as a medical emergency that is affecting all of us. Our friends. Our neighbors. Our families. And, most of all, we forget our compassion. We forget our human decency. We forget our love.
As you make your plans for Christmas this year, remember the families who are grieving. Remember that the deaths are not just numbers. They are people too. And if you can, avoid gatherings this Christmas. If you do gather, wear a mask and distance. This has been a hard year and we are likely looking toward a few more hard months full of many cases and deaths. So please, do your part for the sake of your community and those you love.
Be careful. Stay safe and healthy. Love others through both actions and words.
Zebadiah Demorest 