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Wise Counsel for Handling a Deadly Outbreak from 1527

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Gripped with fear

Today, so many people are gripped with fear. Many are afraid, desperate, and feeling alone.

Have you ever felt that way?

Maybe you’re afraid that what you see happening over there may come over here. Some feel like the pressures are crushing them. They feel overwhelmed. It seems to them that everything is pressing in on them. It feels like the stressors and fears are coming on every side.

What is my problem? What is the difference between fear, anxiety, and worry?

  • Fear –  is the emotion of alarm in reaction to a perceived danger or threat.
  • Anxiety – is a more general, long-term feeling of uneasiness, a vague perception of threat that won’t go away.
  • Worry – is not an emotion, however.  It is the mental action of bringing up conflicts or fears, mulling over them, and contemplating worst-case scenarios.

Which of these do you struggle with most?

Fearful, anxious, and stressed people often believe that:

  • a situation is difficult, challenging, or potentially painful (which may be true);
  • but they also believe that they do not have the resources to cope (which is not true for the child of God).

So, how do we cope? Consider these wise words from a man going through a similar deadly outbreak.

Wise counsel from Martin Luther…

During our family devotional the other evening, my wife Amy shared with our family this story about Martin Luther. I wanted to share it with you all as well.

In 1527 when Martin Luther was dealing with the Black plague hitting his hometown of Wittenberg.

“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash no foolhardy…”

Martin Luther

Truths to clings to in the midsts of your fears

So what do we learn from Luther’s response to the deadly outbreak of his day? First, we find that he trusted in the sovereignty of God. He believed that God was in control of all that had happened and was happening in his life. Second, he trusted that God was infinite in His wisdom. He knew that God’s thoughts were higher than his own thoughts. And, he knew that God’s ways were higher than his ways. Third, he trusted in God’s faithful love of him.

He was not distracted by the things that were occurring around him. He focused on the God who was with him. That is good counsel!

But, Luther does not stop there.

He does not stop with simply loving and trust God. He then went on to love and serve his neighbor.

Do you see how he did that?

First, he wanted to do all that he could to be wise and protect himself from getting the plague. But then, he wanted to find ways to show love and compassion, and serve others.

What great counsel on how to handle our current pandemic! And, that from a counselor in 1527.

Bringing it home: Applying what we have learned

So, my brothers, sisters, and friends.

  • Trust God
  • Avoid anxiety through prayer
  • Remember God cares for you
  • Cast your cares on Him
  • Be at peace in every circumstance
  • Love and serve others

Question to consider

So, how can you learn from and apply his counsel in your life?

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