To ere on the side of kindness

One thing my children probably heard me say 100 times or more is, "It is better to be safe than sorry."  That means it is better to be cautious than potentially wind up hurting yourself or someone else.  We live in a day where caution and safety are being urged by our government officials --- and the mobs are yelling, "No!" Their claim is that by doing these things, we are allow our rights to be stolen. I firmly believe that if we, as Christians, are to be in error, we should err on the side of kindness.

To be cautious is not to be fearful.  Caution is a having a healthy respect for danger. Ephesians 5:15-17 states, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Circum means around, spect means to look. We are to look all the way around a situation in order not to be foolish.  To be cautious out of love for your neighbor fits right in with the teachings of Christ.

Eugene Parks writes for Gospel Coalition that "Our Idols Are Exposed in Times of Crisis." Hoarding toilet paper is a great example of this. There are many others during this pandemic.  A non-believer read a professing Christian's newsfeed. He saw lots of "Jesus loves you," and "I follow Jesus," on her feed. He also saw hateful slander. He saw a refusal to act in courtesy and love for sake of caution towards others. He pointed out - after expressing his extreme discuss for people who "Hail, Jesus" but hate their neighbor and refuse to act in love - that he thought this was America where we would go the extra mile to help our neighbor.  Was he seeing it in Christians? No.

If ever a time the world could call Christians hypocrites, it is now. When one is asked to be mildly inconvenienced (to wear a mask in public places), and to freak out and say it is violating your rates is diametrically opposed to everything the Bible teachers us about imitating Christ.  We are asked to wear it because enough public health experts believe it will help prevent the spread to *others* if we are asymptomatic carriers. Imagine Jesus saying to you, "Child, please do this to show your love for these weak or elderly that I love?" Would you turn to Jesus and said, "The government is just trying to force me to be compliant. Give an inch, they'll take a mile. This expert or that expert says it could possibly be useless or hurt me or..."  Yes, we heap up prophets to tell us what our itching ears want to hear to avoid a basic command: LOVE.  How did Jesus love us? Sacrificially. Unbelievers are seeing this and Jesus is being scorned.

Sadly, what happens when we get the opportunity to show that love in a small way?  Anger. Outrage. Demand for "our rights." Fear of our liberties being taken away.  Walk circumspectly - how does the world see this? How does Jesus see this?

Eugene Parks shares this verse and writes, "“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 16:24–25).

Jesus calls us not to double down on our freedom, but to sacrifice it out of love for our neighbor. There is no better time to do that than now."

Images from all over the world show people - of all faiths and no faith- accepting inconvenience for the sake of trying to prevent neighbors from the spread of COVID19. Conspiracy theorists want us to take that loving compliance as foolishly giving away freedom to those with nefarious intent. And yet, in Matthew 5:46-47 Jesus says, " If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" If the world finds it a necessary sacrifice to be part of the solution, why are we so self-centered? Colossians 4:5 reads, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."

1 Peter 2: 16-25 "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.  For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,  who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;  and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls."