Some stay home because they are motivated by love. Others may act differently in these times and circumstances and yet their actions could still be motivated by love also. Loving others doesn't necessarily mean that I have to stay home.
I don't suppose that any honorable, respectable person wants to cause the death of another respectable person unnecessarily. But then, isn't that what military commanders do in battle? Isn't that the risk that NASCAR drivers take? How about truck drivers, circus performers, policemen, football players, healthcare officials, motorcycle riders? (And before you say "well, it's different if somebody wants to risk their own life," please note that I listed professions where all of these people are also in a position to potentially cause unwanted harm to others who interact with them.)
I don't suppose that any honorable, respectable person wants to cause the death of another respectable person unnecessarily. But then, isn't that what military commanders do in battle? Isn't that the risk that NASCAR drivers take? How about truck drivers, circus performers, policemen, football players, healthcare officials, motorcycle riders? (And before you say "well, it's different if somebody wants to risk their own life," please note that I listed professions where all of these people are also in a position to potentially cause unwanted harm to others who interact with them.)
Wanting to enjoy the things that God gave us to enjoy is not selfish. How is going out, traveling, exploring, playing, and interacting with family going to cause the virus to spread?
61,000 people died of flu in the US alone during the winter of 2017-18. That was just a couple years ago. Remember that? You know, the winter that the entire nation's economy shut down and everybody stayed home? 61,000. That's more US deaths than we've had so far from COVID-19.
In 2018, there were 36,560 deaths due to automobile crashes. Even more the year before. And even more the year before that. From 1993 thru 2007, there were over 40,000 auto deaths every single year in a row of those fourteen years. That's a lot of US deaths, especially if you compare them to the COVID-19 numbers. ~~ And every single death is sad; I don't want to disregard that. ~~ And yet millions continue to go out every day, get in their cars, and take the risks.
Parents must make decisions that significantly impact the lives of spouse and children. Will you take them on motorcycle rides? Will you let them ride bicycles in the street? Will you encourage them to climb trees? Will you let them play football or baseball, play with BB guns, go swimming, canoeing, horseback riding? Will you let them have a pet? Will you let them go to a friend's house who was sick just the other day? -- Are you realizing that all of these actions could result in your child getting hurt, or sick, or worse?
Of course, one way to avoid any problems associated with these activities is to just stay home, stay inside, don't be too rambunctious, and don't let your children be. ~~ But is that what God wants? Doesn't he want people to take responsibility and even to take risks. Of course, we should be wise and not reckless. But I believe that God is pleased with wise, careful risk-taking. If nobody ever took risks, we wouldn't have airplanes, cars, motorcycles, vaccinations, tasty foods, electricians, football players, boxers, rugby players, soldiers, policemen, high divers, sky divers, skyscrapers, carnivals, circuses, escape artists, olympics, gymnasts, stunt men, tree houses, towers, .... ~~ How 'bout you name some?
But fear stops many people from participating in these activities and professions. Yet "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us." (1 John 4:17-19) We are to "fear God" above all; and if we fear Him in the right way, then we need not fear anything else in the wrong way.
