The uncertainty caused by sudden change is felt by broad sections of the population. It’s all incredibly complex. How can you filter and set up your understanding of the world so that you can live again? Quite a few turn to conspiracy myths. They have a decisive influence on the development of society. It is not dealing with the pandemic that is being sought, but an alternative reality. This straightens out the complexity of reality somewhat, even if it has only limited to do with reason. As a psychological phenomenon, it is probably best compared to a protective mechanism. This is understandable, but not very helpful in overcoming the crisis.

Harald Lesch soberly on the coronavirus.

Limitations in life

We can think at length here about conspiracy theorists and their views. However, there is already excellent information about this on the Internet. We should learn to look our own insecurity and fear in the face and then assess the current situation with common sense. We should not give any room to conspiracy theories, just as we should not give any room to panic. Rather, it requires a courageous sobriety and the courage to take things seriously.

Here in this post, however, I’d rather talk about something else. It’s about lockdowns, which we all already experience at different times in our lives. Every night we are in a kind of lockdown at home in bed. We do this so that we can recover from the day. We can also note this aspect now. We should recognize opportunities.

Every night we are in a kind of lockdown at home in bed.

There are other situations that can greatly affect our lives. This is about an illness that affects ourselves and keeps us in bed for weeks. This is very unpleasant, but usually we recover and normality arrives again. Once we have had this experience, we can apply it to the current crisis: the crisis is real, but it will one day continue. Normality (in whatever form) will return.

As we age, we will experience more limitations as well. The forces decrease. We can no longer do everything. We can do many things, but for less time. Those who have been young for longer often stay at home longer. It can be compared to a slow lockdown. Still, that doesn’t have to be negative. Every age and every situation knows its own possibilities. Sobriety accepts the current starting position and makes the best of it with foresight.

Sobriety accepts the current starting position and makes the best of it with foresight.

You may also experience a mental lockdown, for example, if your partner dies or if you find yourself in other difficult situations. Such experiences can block the feeling of life. When friends, family or significant others who have been an important part of one’s life die, the experienced environment becomes stressed. It can be perceived as a lockdown of feelings, outlook, hope. We should also keep these things in mind. Life has never been easy. Sometimes it can be really hard.

A lockdown of emotions, outlook, hope.

So none of this is foreign to us. However, it is not intentional. We should also note that. A lockdown of any kind is undesirable. It comes upon us whether we like it or not. It is part of the human experience.

Paul in Lockdown.

Painting by Rembrandt, 1627. Wikimedia Commons.

Paul in lockdown

The apostle Paul was in captivity during the last years of his life (expected to be at least 4 to 5 years). This was a severe “lockdown” for the Jewish man who loved to travel. Several times he was detained for a short time. But then, towards the end of Acts, he is constantly in captivity.

He was imprisoned in Jerusalem(Acts 21:30ff) and was in prison for years (Acts 24:27) both in Jerusalem and Caesarea. The text describes two years, and this was only one section of his time in prison. It was a strange thing, because he had not been interrogated for years. These are conditions that we are quick to overlook today because we are unaware of these situations. For Paul, however, this was a reality. He had to deal with the reality in his life, just as we have to do today.

Paul was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:27-29). In a defense, he invoked the emperor as a Roman citizen (Acts 25:10-11). That was his right. As a result, it was determined that his case had to come before Caesar (Acts 25:12). Paul had to be shipped to Rome as a prisoner.

So Paul landed from one lockdown to the next. From Caesarea, Paul is sent to Rome by ship. Many experiences followed, all of which are described in the book of Acts. In the last chapter of Acts, the ship arrives at Puteoli, not far from Rome (Acts 28:13).

Once in Rome, the apostle was allowed to remain alone with the warrior guarding him (Acts 28:16). So he was probably not in prison, but in some other accommodation, maybe in barracks or something like that.

After that, the situation changes once again. In the last verses of the book we read:

“He [Paulus] then remained two whole years in his own tenement, welcoming all who came to him; heralding the kingdom of God, and teaching with all boldness and unhinderedness concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Acts 28:30-31

In own rented apartment! So Paul was not only in prison in Israel for at least two years, but minimally another two years in Rome. At the same time, he had his own rented apartment and could still do a lot in the lockdown. He could not go out (there were soldiers at the door), but he could receive people at his home.

Remarkable is therefore: The door did not open outward, for example to new journeys, but inward, for the reception of visitors and of letters. The apostle welcomed all who wanted to hear more about the Kingdom of God and he taught with all frankness and unhindered (!) concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

With these words the Acts of the Apostles ends. The last years, however, when he could no longer travel himself, he achieved amazing things by talking and writing letters. Thus, we have received a treasure of spiritual wealth from that time. This concerns the so-called “prison epistles” (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Timothy). It was an extremely fruitful time. The letters he wrote then still move Christians today.

Unexpected fruits from the lockdown

Paul’s lockdown became a blessing to us. Paul did not see himself as a prisoner of the Romans, but he himself spoke of being a “bound of Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:1-2). That was the perspective he chose and recognized. Because whatever his life looked like, he deliberately chose in it a meaning filled with grace. This may be an inspiration for us.

Now I ask, what blessing can come from our lockdown for others? Which view do we choose in our situation? What view for myself and what attitude towards other people? And what do I do when I’m in danger of drowning in uncertainty? How can I do something good for myself? What support do I want?