Yesterday on twitter, I read a tweet that said, “I believe in prayer. I also believe in hand-washing.” I don’t remember who posted that (and I can’t find it now), but it’s a nice way of putting it. More directly, Beth Moore tweeted:

“It would be a mistake for us in Christian circles to disregard the warnings about large gatherings. If the thought is, “We’re the church. We’ll do whatever we please & God will protect us,” He does not protect the proud. He opposes them. We are not snake handlers. We’re servants.” [1]

I think both points are important. The Bible does not teach that Christians will not suffer. God’s beloved, only begotten Son, the most faithful person who ever walked the face of the earth, suffered crucifixion and death. We are called to be faithful; we are even called to be bold. But we know that being faithful and bold may come at a cost, and thus we also exercise wisdom and prudence.

Pray and wash your hands. Better yet, pray while washing your hands. [2]

[1] Beth Moore, Twitter post, March 13, 2020, 8:10 a.m., twitter.com/BethMooreLPM.
[2] One possibility: I just timed myself saying the Lord’s Prayer and it took 28 seconds.