Good morning church. I hope that you are healthy and have had a good week in the midst of this crazy time we are in. Can you believe that this will be the sixth Sunday that we haven’t met together? That certainly wasn’t part of our plan when we announced our vision earlier in the year. However, God has been using this time to use His church in an incredible way. It is amazing that the message is getting out to more people and we are impacting a lot of people with our meal deliveries. There have been many good things come about due to the manner in which we have to operate at this time.
If you follow the news like I do, you have seen the stories of people that are done with this lockdown. Some people are beginning to ignore the rules. Others have started protests at the state capitols and city halls. It was only a matter of time. Sometimes, out idea of freedom is being allowed to do whatever we want, whenever we want, regardless of the consequences.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
(Preamble to the Declaration of Independence)
What we see now is a growing tension in these things. What if, in order to preserve life, you have to restrict liberty or freedom? What if, in doing so, it makes people unhappy?
In America, we hear about rights all of the time. People will often use the phrase, “I have the right to…” What if you have the right to do something and yet, it is not the best thing to do at the time? The hard thing is to sometimes put others ahead of ourselves. One of the most poignant pictures last week was of the nurse standing in the road as a counter to the protest to lift the restrictions in place. The contrast was incredible. And yet, both groups are entitled to their opinions.
It is interesting to note that we often forgo things that are permissible for us because we know that they are not the best choice for us, our families, and even society.
For instance, if you are 21, if or when you get your stimulus check, you have the right to go to the liquor store and spend every dime of it.
You have the right to spend it all on Juul so you can vape until you destroy your lungs.
When travel restrictions are lifted, you have the right to go to a state that allows you to smoke marijuana.
You have the right to max out your credit card buying toilet paper.
As an adult, you can chose to quit your job whenever you want. You can stay up all night watching whatever is allowable by law, eating Cheetos and chugging Mountain Dew. Seriously, you can. But is that the best thing to do?
In our present situation, there seems to be a growing tension between what we have the right to do and in doing the right thing. Obviously, I am not an expert in health care, pandemics, economics, social behavior, or anything else for that matter. All I know is that, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, let’s live our life for His glory.
The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10: “23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” He wrote that in the context of a discussion about food sacrificed to idols. He wrote something similar when discussing sexual immorality. I think there is a lot we can consider from his words. He concludes chapter 10 with this: 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.”
Praying for you,
Larry
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