Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Is our reaction to the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 faith or fear?

The goal of fear is to prevent (pain, suffering or death). The goal of faith is to produce (well-being, productivity and life).

A defining characteristic of worry and fear is that it hinders productivity -the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Are you preventing or producing? If you want to know whether you're operating under faith or fear, look at the fruit -or the lack thereof.

[SOURCES:]
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Luke 8:14
14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Matthew 7:16-20
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.