Lately there has been a lot of speculation about pandemics.
Journalists talk and speculate about the spreading potential of the
avian influenza A (H5N1). They also mention the Black Death of the
Middle Ages (1347-1351) that killed 25 million in Europe. If the
Middle Eastern lands, India, and China are included, the death toll
from the Black Death was 75 million people. Another pandemic mentioned
is the 1918-1919 influenza that killed 20 million people.
It is understandable that people would be concerned about physical
diseases. However, we should remember that spiritual health is more
important than physical health. That is why in His Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus went so far as to say (Matthew 5:29-30):
29 "And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw
it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your
body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 "And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw
it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your
body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell.
~ New American Standard Bible
It is obvious that spiritual health is far more important to Jesus
than physical well-being. Although He healed people’s physical
infirmities, their spiritual well-being was what really concerned Him
and was His reason for coming to the earth.
Here it is – the 21st century – and people worldwide are increasing
their consumption of the body parts and secretions of horrifically
abused animals, resulting in widespread pollution of the environment. At
the same time there are people dying of starvation. Land that could be
used to feed the world’s population is instead increasingly used to feed
animals destined for slaughter.
Humans would be far better off healing themselves of their “spiritual
plague” of corrupting and destroying our fellow creatures and God’s
creation, and learning to be the loving, compassionate, and peace-making
spiritual beings the Lord called us to be.
