To Wear, or not to Wear?

      2020 has been a polarizing year.  I speak mainly to my fellow Americans when I say that we have the potential to be more united than ever, but in many cases are very divided.  One issue in particular that many Christians I know are divided on is wearing masks, and on a smaller scale, following other government-mandated orders surrounding this disease.  I am going to give a lot of food for thought, and it doesn't all necessarily build on itself.  It's different thoughts and ideas.  You may agree or disagree, but I hope you'll think. You might be surprised by my view on this. 

My husband and me, wearing masks made and sent to us by a friend in Albuquerque (see the balloons?)
   

 

     I hear arguments from Christian people who generally agree on most things, but have very diverse (and strong) opinions about masks, staying home, etc.  Some view the requirement as tyranny, and the idea of wearing a mask means the government owns you, and you are being trained to be submissive for some future re-creation of the Holocaust .  Others view masks as a must, something everyone should be happy to wear, and if they aren't, it means they're selfish and want to kill others.    

     Our views on these things really stem from what we believe about Covid-19.  Many view it as blown way out of proportion and not nearly as deadly as implied, while others see it as a threat to be taken seriously.  I believe everyone needs to follow their own convictions on that.  I've seen evidence that supports both views to a point.  I am not a medical professional, so I am not going to try to explain Coronavirus.  What I have seen is that there appears to be some political motivation behind a lot of the reaction to the virus.  While some state governments have tried to prevent churches from being able to meet, these same leaders have not spoken against the rioting, which definitely caused the Covid spike in late May and early June.  I find these reactions hypocritical.  

     Some people need to get back to work or they will die--not from the virus but from homelessness and starvation.  Painting them as selfish for wanting things to move forward is a very one-sided look at the argument.  The same is true for masks.  I hear a lot of people saying that those who have a hard time with masks are hateful and selfish and wish ill will on others.  Sometimes, masks have accompanying medical problems.  Some people cannot breathe with them on (I have a hard time with it!), and others have anxiety attacks from them.  We need to be compassionate and understanding toward those people as well as those who are at higher risk for Covid.  It's a two-way street.

     My husband and I have a very unique view of this.  Since the pandemic began in March of this year, we have experienced a few places with very different rules and mentalities about it.  We spent the "quarantine" period at the beginning (AKA toilet paper shortage, etc.) in Texas.  Slowly, things began to open up, eventually.  Our church began to hold socially distanced services, masks not required.  My husband's job permanently closed because of Covid, and the Lord led us into the ministry in Arkansas.  We moved on June 17.  I don't know how Texas is now.  They may have gotten stricter since then, but they were loosening things as we left.  

Walter getting his hair cut in Texas right before our move.  Hair stylists had just been allowed to reopen.

   

  We crossed into Arkansas, and found that in that part of the state, it was stricter than Texas.  On our move up, we couldn't find anywhere open to get lunch (we couldn't go through a drive-through, because of our moving van being too large, and nowhere had take out).  That was a hassle.  

Crossing into Arkansas

     We dropped our possessions off in Little Rock, but then spent the next two and a half months in northern Arkansas.  There had been very few Coronavirus cases in that area.  Many places didn't require masks, and most restaurants were open for sit-down meals.  Depending on the city, some required customers to wear a mask until they were seated.  The church we attended up there didn't do any masks or social distancing at all.  It was easy to forget all about the pandemic.  The nearest town to us (Leslie, Arkansas) didn't enforce any mandates about it, and we could go into stores and other businesses mask-free.  People there would walk much closer to each other than six feet, squeezing past each other in store aisles.  Such doings were reminiscent of the old days, such as 2019! Remember saying "excuse me" only when you actually bumped into someone, rather than just walked a step closer than six feet?  Yeah, the good old days were relived in northern Arkansas! 

Leslie, Arkansas

Leslie, Arkansas, during the quieter time of day when most people were at work.

Leslie, Arkansas--the streets were empty, not because everyone was staying home, but because of the time of day in which I took this picture, and everyone in the small town was at work.  

     

     

   We came back to our new home in Little Rock at the end of August, and had to get used to the stricter guidelines again.  The church we have begun attending here is meeting outside, as their small building doesn't have enough room to legally meet the city's ordinances about social distancing for the number of people coming.  Some wear masks, but not all. 

     Having said all of that, we have seen people in several different cities applying principles to themselves that fit their area throughout this whole thing.  Not every area has the same rules, or the same mentality about any of this.  

     Here is my first thought.  All opinions about Coronavirus and the government's roll in our health aside (these things are their own conversations!), we are all under authority.  Romans 13:1 says, Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Likewise, First Peter 2:13-15 tell us: Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.  These scriptures were written by and to believers with much more hostile governments than most of us have every known, and they could still say that.  A Bible teacher I sat under used to say that any government is better than no government (think about that!), and God has allowed the powers that be.  By being cooperative, we are being a Christian testimony.  We help things move in the right direction.  

     On the flip side, there is a place for civil disobedience.  The book of Acts was full of it, believers speaking the Name of Jesus after being beaten, imprisoned, and ordered to stop.  In Acts 5:29, the apostles said, We must obey God rather than man.  Some believers in America today are facing this, with some leaders refusing to allow them to worship, or sing praises to God, even with precautions.  These believers are choosing to follow the path of the apostles, and for that, they have my undying respect.  We are not facing that here in Arkansas right now.  

     Is wearing a mask where required compromising the gospel message?  On a basic level, I don't believe it is.  If wearing one will help churches be allowed to meet, I accept that.  At the same time, I will keep my eyes and ears open, and if anything starts to get fishy, I might be pushed toward civil disobedience.  I believe there is more going on than we can see, and I want to be very careful who and what I believe in all of this.  Colossians 2:8 makes it clear that we are responsible for what we believe, and should think clearly and critically about what we're told: See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elementary spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.  But simply wearing a mask when required, at this point, isn't a compromise to me.  Refusing to wear one is not the same as taking a stand for the gospel, and it won't earn me treasures in Heaven in and of itself.  I dislike wearing masks (I'm a fan of breathing!), and I won't do it when it's not required or necessary (more about that in the next paragraph), but when it is, I will submit at this point.  That is what I have to say as far as obeying mandates from the government about this so far.  Now I'm going to switch gears a little.  

     I believe this issue is related to Romans 14, where Paul talks about believers with different convictions.  Verse 13 says, ...but rather let us determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.  This original passage is about some Christians eating meat offered to idols, and other Christians taking exception to that.  In more modern times, I have heard it applied to consuming alcohol, or going to certain movies--things believers may have different convictions on.  I think masks fit this category.  If someone is genuinely concerned of catching the virus, I need to be sensitive to them.  If am I going to be around them, I should be willing to wear a mask if that will help them.  I have friends with serious health risks, and they want to be careful.  I need to honor that, out of Christian love for them.  That wouldn't be a time to flaunt my "freedom" of not feeling the need to wear one.  Love for others should guide our actions.  But that cuts both ways too.  This whole chapter of Romans 14 is about letting people have their convictions.  Those who believe wearing a mask is vital need to accept that some people disagree, and that doesn't make them hateful.  We are all accountable to God.  Both sides need to stop ascribing bad motives to each other.  

     I also think that we are responsible for ourselves.  Galatians 5:6 says, For each will have to bear his own load.  Every time you walk out your front door, you take your life into your hands.  Most believe it is a reasonable risk.  If you feel it is safe for people to stay home, YOU SHOULD STAY HOME.  If you think people should wear masks, YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK--and stay a safe distance from others.  That's on you.  Your health is your responsibility.  The only person you can control is you.  Job 19:4 says, And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.  Trying to force people to bend to you is selfish and will only make them resent you.  Kindly explaining your concerns to them and asking them to consider you is a healthy thing to do.  What they do with your information is on them, and you still need to make the choices you believe are right for your health.  

     A pastor in our ministry recently asked the following questions, and I'm going to close with them.  

*Is my personal faith in Jesus Christ focused more on today's comfort than on the eternal blessings God has for those who trust in Him?

*What if previous generations of believers made their personal safety and well-being a higher priority than taking any risks for the sake of the gospel?

*Where in the scriptures are we told to do all we can to cling to our physical lives as pilgrims, strangers, sojourners, and aliens passing through this world?

*What kind of witness are my personal attitudes and actions being to those who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ in these days of Covid-19?

*Am I living my life more by "sight" than I am by "faith" in the Lord Jesus?

*What are we communicating to our children and grandchildren about following Jesus through our actions and attitudes in these days?

*If this were my last day on earth, am I spending it in the best way I can to honor my Lord?