We’re all practicing social distancing these days. We worshiped online yesterday on Easter Sunday, separated from our church families. We wear masks when we venture out in public. Our food is handed to us through drive-through windows (my wife and I picked up some fried chicken from KFC on Sunday, and I was asked to pitch my credit card into a KFC bucket so that the employee and I wouldn’t accidentally touch hands as we passed my credit card between us).

We may have a few more weeks of social distancing before the country opens up again; it may be another month – know one knows exactly when we’ll be free to gather together again. In the meantime, though, we will continue to live in a touchless COVID-19 world. But just because we do, it doesn’t mean we can’t touch people. In fact, we can touch them in some pretty great touchless ways:

1. Touch people spiritually – During our national time of quarantine, Bible study leaders, pastors, and others are vitally important to church members. Go online, learn to use FaceBook live, choose an online meeting platform with which you’re comfortable, and use your time to study and teach, preach, and encourage your congregants through devotionals, Bible studies, and sermons. In fact, you have an opportunity to touch more lives than ever before since the church has “left the building” and gone online.
2. Touch people physically – Be confident that God will meet all your needs, and share items you have in abundance – and maybe some that are not so abundant. We all have a neighbor, friend, or acquaintance who may be in desperate need of a particular resource. If you have it, share it. Be generous. Drop it off at their home or apartment. You can bless them with something physical without getting physical! They’ll thank you, and they will remember, and hopefully repeat, your act of kindness.
3. Touch people emotionally – Just a few days ago I called my neighbor, Rita, to check on her. She’s in her 70s and is a widower for the past 5 years. She was blown away that I called, and the real ministry was in the 45 minutes we spent talking – or rather, it was time I spent listening. She was so in need of someone to talk to. I don’t remember much of what she said because she was all over the map! But it was good for her to get things out of her head and off her mind. She needed another human being to listen to her. Look around for the Ritas in your life who are alone, and in need of a little human interaction. We must all help one another manage our mental health these days. A little act of kindness will go twice as far these days.

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