Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
Blog Number 35
October 12, 2020
The Lesser of Evils or Putting God To The Test
“Did you get your flu shot?” This is a question that gets asks by friends every year about this time. My answer has always been “no.” I am a bit superstitious about flu shots. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I knew three people who developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Each of them nearly died and each of them suffered from this syndrome ten days after receiving the flu shot. When I made this connection, many people told me that this was a coincidence. I didn’t believe that about a three for three relationship. Now literature on the flu shots confirm that there is a small chance of getting Guillain-Barre from the flu shot. My observation years ago was correct.
Now we live in the age of the Corona Virus. Some folks I know say that this, coupled with the flu season will really make for a deadly combination. Other folks are saying that this year the flu season will be minimal since we are all wearing masks and that flu is transmitted through the mouth in a similar way that Corona is. Which is true? I don’t know.
I do know that the healthier we are, the better we can protect ourselves from Corona. Overall health is one of the best defenses against this illness and one of the ways that we can keep a Corona infection from becoming fatal. In this time of Corona, I wondered if it was worth the small risk of Guillain-Barre if I get a broader protection against Covid-19. This year it seems like the lesser of evils this year.
All of our lives we walk a careful balance between trusting God but not putting him to the test by doing foolish things. It is not always easy to make the proper and prudent decisions but we do things, thoughtfully, trusting God, with sober consideration.
Yes, this year I got a flu shot. It was the first of my life. Our town was giving free flu shots, funded by the state, and distributed in a local park by personnel supplied by our town health department. It was my pleasure to see Pat August, our town nurse while I was there. Will this be a guarantee against flu? No, but it is prudent. Will it guarantee that I won’t get Corona? No, but it is prudent to keep my health strong. Will it give me Guillain-Barre? I hope not but in this time of Corona it seems like it is worth taking this small chance.
We live in a fallen world. Often we are forced to choose the lesser of evils. Let us make our choices well, be prudent, and never put God to the test.
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To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book: https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/
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