Should we be afraid of the coronavirus outbreak?

“Dow drops nearly 10 percent as global coronavirus fears continue to pummel Wall Street.”

“Travelers in Europe, U.S. experience confusion at airports amid coronavirus restrictions.”

“The Coronavirus pandemic is closing schools. How will kids eat?”

Aside from the Democratic primaries, there’s hardly anything more newsworthy these days than the Coronavirus. As one turns on the TV or browses news websites, to say that the virus has created a wave of fear across the world is an understatement.

According to a news outlet, as of Thursday morning, the novel Coronavirus has infected nearly 130,000 people across 108 countries. The death toll is over 4,000 worldwide. In the U.S., 44 states plus the District of Columbia have reported cases of the virus, with over 1,300 people infected and around 30 deaths. Georgia is sixth on the list, with 31 cases (12 confirmed, 19 presumptive), and the first death reported at Wellstar Kennestone hospital this week.

And — of course — during this presidential election year, the health challenge has turned political quickly. Shocker.

Thursday morning started at my house with emails from the national volleyball organizations canceling practices and tournaments until March 22. We had just finished a family discussion about the numerous sporting event cancellations and school closings when my 17-year-old came down the stairs with the news.

“Mom, what if they cancel prom?” cried our high school senior. “And graduation! I have been reading that some schools may cancel graduation ceremonies!” she said, nose buried in her phone, the gadget that has become the bearer of gruesome news for the past weeks. “This is so stupid!”

I cannot fault her for thinking so. In her young mind, the world has gone mad.

I smiled. Fear is powerful, I thought. And there’s a fine line between fear and caution that is sometimes hard not to cross.

There is no question that we should not take the outbreak of the virus lightly. Any time that a virus spreads this quickly, it should be a cause of concern and heightened precautionary measures. But truth be told, this is an old movie playing before our eyes once again.

Fear spreads like wildfire when we face the unknown… or when we face the reality of death. Remember the Y2K bug? The “Millennium Bug” was a computer flaw that led to significant anxiety in 1999, when engineers across the world believed that all computer systems would crash for not being able to interpret the “00” algorithms for the new millennium. Cars would stop working. Airplanes might fall from the skies. Automations would freeze.

And Chicken Little went haywire in the minds of everyone who soaked in the bad news without a filter.

Then there was the swine flu. And Ebola. And the numerous deadly mutations of the flu virus, which seems to suffer from multi-personality disorder.

Truly? If it’s not Corona, it’s something else.

Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Cancer.

This world will always be “infected” with something disastrous. And every time that it is, the Fear Monster is released.

In 2016, American Christian rock artist Zack Williams released the song “Fear Is a Liar.” The song peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Christian Songs chart and lasted 31 weeks on the overall chart. It’s no wonder. The lyrics speak to the reality behind fear – a truth that many of us do not seem to grasp at times of distress:

“Fear, he is a liar. He will take your breath. Stop you in your steps. Fear, he is a liar. He will rob your rest. Steal your happiness. Cast your fear in the fire. ‘Cause fear — he is a liar.”

I believe there is a reason the phrase “fear not” continually appears in the Bible. As a matter of fact, it is said that God encourages his followers not to fear 365 times in Scriptures. Following these words, one usually finds God’s most comforting promise: “For I am with you.”

Almighty God, knowing the dangers and heartaches of this fallen world, left us a promise to hang on to when our hearts threaten to steal our peace and joy.

Yes, let us wash our hands more often and avoid crowded spaces. But first and foremost, let us hang on to that promise, shall we? The coronavirus has not taken God by surprise. Let us take each morning a preventive dose of “fear not.”

Now, that is a healthy measure!

Patricia Holbrook is a columnist, author, blogger and international speaker. Her newly published Bible Study – Twelve Inches – is available starting on March 2. Visit her website www.soaringwithHim.com for information. For speaking engagements and comments, email pholbrook@soaringwithHim.com