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Romans 13:10 – Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (NIV)
For many months, I have been strongly advocating the wearing of masks in public places in order to diminish the impact of the present pandemic. By wearing a mask, I am, like millions of others, trying to keep the number of contagions down so that our hospitals do not get overwhelmed with emergency cases. At the moment, we are in the most dangerous phase of the pandemic, so hopefully, more people will graciously adhere to the wise safety precautions that our best medical people are encouraging us to practice.
Some folks I know question these precautions because they offend their self-dignity and personal liberty. I must admit that I don't understand this, because freedom always entails community responsibilities for the common good of the whole people. Also, from a biblical point of view, we are commanded by Jesus to love one another, and in today's highlighted verse, the apostle Paul endorses that by informing the Christian church in Rome that love does no harm to a neighbour and is, indeed, the fulfillment of God's law. So, because of this, I wear a mask and encourage others to do the same. Taking these precautions benefits people we don't even know! As a Christian, I see no other way of respecting and fulfilling Christ's command to love my neighbour.
The good news about wearing masks and following safety precautions is that we have actually diminished flu around the globe. Usually at this time, the flu season deeply impacts our communities, but because more folks have been vaccinated and are following the five core safety precautions, the annual flu is having a tough time of being transmitted. So, the side effect of all our precautions is that flu cases are very low. Isn't that wonderful?
May God bless you and keep you safe from this pandemic. May you do your part in fulfilling God's law by keeping the precautions and showing Christ's love by doing no harm to your neighbours. Wear a mask, please!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to be free from our fears by graciously accepting the God-given wisdom of our health and medical professionals. Keep them safe, too, as they constantly seek to help those who are the worst affected by this pandemic. May our loving actions and compassionate responsibility successfully diminish this contagion. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.
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Well said, John. Blessings and stay safe.
Reverend, well written and glad you pointed out the decrease in flu.
Dear John,
Much appreciation for your thoughtful and caring devotion.
That was terrific. So well said and true. Thank you and God bless you and keep you safe and healthy.
Hi John
I appreciate the focus on the imperative “love does not harm”! It has been lost in the individual me society.
Blessings.
Thank you, John,
May God continue to keep you and your family safe also. It is so true about wearing the masks also, love and respect for each other!!!!
God bless.
Thank you for sharing this instructive devotional with us. Hear! Hear! Praying that more people in the USA will heed medical advice and wear their masks and take other recommended precautions. This isn’t about our freedoms but rather it’s about loving one another as God has loved us!
Dear John,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this pandemic. It is amazing about how low the flu is this year in Canada also. Let us pray that many people see the light and wear their masks to protect themselves and others. It seems like such a small thing and no one is asking them to be the only one wearing a mask. May you have a blessed day.
Good morning John,
I live in Los Angeles where the Pandemic has been raging on.
Your devotion this morning hit the target! So many people question this protocol, but YOU are right on! It is a true act of Love and Care for our fellow man.
I always look forward to your devotions, as your words jump off the page and speak the truth.
Today’s message was perfect, and God is using you mightily!
Greetings John,
Great devotional! Hopefully, many that are not adhering to mask wearing regulations will finally realize the importance and necessity of following this ruling. I can’t understand how some persons think “their rights” are being violated if required to wear a mask when they are really protecting themselves as well as others. May the Lord work on their minds and hearts that they will change their attitude.
Many thanks to you for this writing and blessings for your contributions to the devotionals.
Hi John Stuart
So glad to see that you are still writing devotions and trust that you are keeping well.
It’s been many years since I started reading these devotions, following your writing, and always welcoming your message.
I totally agree with wearing masks and doing all we can to prevent others from contracting the virus.
The snow is falling as I am blessed with a warm place to live, food to eat and family who love me. At 88 years life is wonderful!
May God bless you, too.
(B.C.)
Thank you for this reminder and that it’s God’s Law to wear our masks and be good neighbours.
Newfoundland needs your prayers at the moment. All through this pandemic we have managed to keep the virus at bay with a total of 243 cases from Last March till this week with following protocol. Then we had a big surge with over 250 cases in 3 days. It turns out to be the UK variant and spread among teens at parties and sports. You had to apply to come in and mainly rotational worker and they were supposed to quarantine for 14 days, and after 7 days they were tested and if neg could be with families, but I guess one of them had the variant and it was quickly spread. We are now in complete lock down. It’s sad. I have grandkids in quarantine and waiting for test results as they played soccer and hockey.
Blessings.
Greetings from the bitterly cold temperatures in Saskatchewan, Canada. Supposed to warm up considerably by the end of the week. Thanks be to God.
On another note, HAPPY Valentine’s Day to you and your family.
I couldn’t agree with you more that, as Christians, it is our due diligence to obey our Lord’s commands… to love your neighbour, as you love yourself. In my humble opinion, this includes keeping ourselves and all other’s safe.
I have several family members who are extremely “orthodox” in their religious beliefs and practices, yet they are also the ones who are vehemently opposed to the rules as laid out by government and health professionals. Not for the life of me can I understand why! It is God’s command! Family members and many others I know from various religious backgrounds and denominations say it is only a government conspiracy to gain control over us. Several family members have informed me they and their households have been diagnosed with COVID and they reported “we all had flu symptoms, nothing more”.
It seems to me that it is mostly the people who profess to be practicing Christians that are the worst for being defiantly disobedient to the rules in place. Why is this?
I am of Protestant Dutch background, my Christian upbringing was not much different than the most orthodox of beliefs before the split in the church in 1965. From then till the present time I have gone to a number of different denominations, eventually becoming a member of the Presbyterian church. I have 1 sibling who continues to practice with our initial upbringing and beliefs. She is relentless with her beliefs and now, given COVID, she is one of the strongest for being defiantly disobedient. Why is this, and how can it be that Christians are the worst for being obedient? Why is it that they are so vehemently opposed to anything government? I just don’t “get it” and I’m struggling with it.
Thanks, John.
You are absolutely right.
Thanks for caring enough to encourage others.