Devotion
March 4, 2021
Pr. Dianne Loufman
This week the Texas governor lifted all mask requirements and penalties for not wearing them.
He went on to suggest that “people know what is the right thing to do for their own safety and the safety of others.” He also said, “All businesses and families have the freedom to determine their own destiny.”
These are the things that came to the mind of a Christian pastor in the middle of Lent:
The disciples knowing what the right thing to do was; pledging to Jesus that they would do the right thing and follow him all the way to the cross; Jesus dying alone, saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Paul’s understanding of Christian freedom which is not to be free to do what we want but the freedom to take something on for the sake of our neighbors. “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become servants to one another.” [Galatians 5:13]
Jesus’ words: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus speaks about sacrificing our very lives and we find wearing a face covering to protect our neighbors too much of a sacrifice.
It’s not quite clear from the governor’s speech if one’s own destiny is tied up in our neighbor’s destiny. As Christians we would answer that in the affirmative.
Christ, your love is beyond our capacity to live; and yet, we keep trying even though we stumble and fall and find ourselves at odds with our neighbors. Help us to live loving our neighbors and claiming the freedom we have been given in you to do so. We give thanks for masks and mask wearers and pray that people will continue throughout our country to protect one another, knowing that our destinies are bound together. Amen.