“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…
17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:7-11, 17-18
If you’ve been watching the news (and who hasn’t been?), you’ve probably heard a number of different solutions to the myriad of problems being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some include a lockdown, others include a stimulus check to every American citizen. Others include bailouts to companies, including those that have mismanaged their finances all in the effort to increase the value of stocks for their stock holders. This morning on GMA there was a segment on how South Korea has done a remarkable job at containing the virus, even after thousands were infected, and it didn’t include a government-mandated lockdown.
Others have suggested reopening our nation’s economy and businesses, allowing life to resume once again. While the potential pitfalls (increased illness & death, over-taxation of our nations medical facilities and staff, etc.) are readily apparent, the reasoning is that our nation is not set up to long-endure a shut-down of the economy.
In perhaps one of the strongest moments of support for such a position, Texas Lt. Governor, (Rep) Dan Patrick said the following in an interview: “…no one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” later adding, “My message is, let’s get back to work. Let’s get back to living. Let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves.” While one might point out Lt. Gov. Patrick’s ‘noble’ willingness to offer himself up for the future of our country, it seems pretty clear that he is also suggesting that we potentially risk the lives of our senior citizens for the sake of the economy.
I will admit that I was one of the masses ‘triggered’ by this comment that comes across as cold, dry-ice-cold, callous, loveless rhetoric. I even said as much on an early-morning Facebook post (since removed). It’s not so much that he said it. I have already heard others suggest such an approach that says “Infect everyone so we can get through this quickly. Whoever dies, dies.” It’s that it came from a high-ranking government official, someone who swore an oath to protect and defend the citizens of his state. His oath and his words seem to be in conflict with each other.
Yes, as someone quickly pointed out, such a statement as Dan made should not be surprising when we live in a society where many government officials, tasked with the protection of our nation’s citizens, are guided by the misguided ethics of abortion policy. However, a couple points to keep in mind here:
- Such rhetoric is reprehensible even to those guided by abortion ethics, because even they (who are confused by the definition of humanity) universally recognize the humanity of the elderly.
- Dan Patrick is a conservative and is on record opposing abortion. So clearly, one (abortion) is not influencing the thoughts/conclusions of the other (loveless indifference to the safety and welfare of the elderly) in Dan’s mind.
There is, though, one other similarity between the reason for many abortions and Dan’s rationale that the elderly should be willing/be forced to ‘self-sacrifice’ for the good of the American economy. It all boils down to selfishness. This is about maintaining a standard of living that we’ve grown accustomed to. It’s an argument not unlike one of the arguments used to justify slavery in the South—protect our standard/way of living. If there is any love to be found here, it’s in love of the self, and not love of others.
I do not know whether this man is Christian or not, but his words smack in the face of the 5th Commandment, which teaches us to work to protect the gift of body and life God has given to us and others—a command that is intrinsic to governing a nation. It smacks in the face of another biblical principle, “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:32) If he is a Christian, he has just fulfilled the words of Romans 2:24 “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
Beyond the passages which govern our attitudes regarding the protection of body and life and showing respect for the aged, Christians would do well also to keep the gospel in mind. The Son of God came into this world to rescue not just the unborn, not just infants, not just toddlers, or children, or teens, or millennials, or Gen-Xers, or Boomers, or the Golden Generation. And he didn’t come on account of only a select few from each of those categories. He came for all. He suffered for all. He died for all. And he did this to give life to all and to protect all from the condemnation of God’s law.
By dying for all people—Christians and non-Christians, young and old, rich and poor, and whatever other contrast in groups you wish to include here—Jesus placed the ‘priceless’ price tag on the life of each person…the price of his own life (I Cor. 6:20).
It is important for Christians during this time to remember the principle of love. Rather than call on them to sacrifice themselves to maintain our standard of living, show the love of Christ. Offer yourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) in service to them. Call the elderly who are at home alone and maybe afraid. Offer to shop for their groceries so they can feel and be safe. Remind them of the hope that Jesus gives us—the hope of sins forgiven (Jeremiah 31:34), the hope of resurrected, glorified bodies (Philippians 3:21), the hope of eternal life in heaven. It’s so easy to lose sight of that hope and lose sight of the love of Christ in times of fear, panic, and uncertainty. What a wonderful opportunity God puts in front of us to give the reason for the hope we have (I Peter 3:15), to remind God’s people that he rules over everything for the good of his people, the Holy Christian Church (Ephesians 1:22)
Pastor Aaron Odya's Blog 