“Do to others as you would have them do to you. “
Luke 6:31
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christians around the world should adhere to one of the most important commandments in the bible; to do to others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31). This advice comes straight from Jesus!
The way to love our neighbor during the COVID-19 pandemic is to socially distance from others, wear a mask in public and remain home whenever possible. Many people are disregarding this advice.
Even if you are healthy and young, you should think of others who are at risk, as if it is yourself. Thinking of the people around you who are most at risk of contracting this deadly virus and staying home, is how you can fulfill this commandment during this COVID-19 pandemic.
If we do not improve our attempts to socially distance, we are putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk. Christians are failing to love their neighbor as themselves when we disregard the advice to social distance and not to go out if we feel sick.
According to James and Paul, loving your neighbor as yourself is the most important law and we are breaking this commandment when we don’t socially distance. We cannot fulfil the law if we break this commandment.
Galatians 5:14 – For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:10 – Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Matthew 7:12 – So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Galatians 6:2 – Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
John 13:34 – A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Romans 13:8 – Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
If we don’t love others and think of them as we think of ourselves, we are not fulfilling Jesus’ commandment. James and Paul say, the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself is the summarization of the entire law.
James 2:8 – If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law. He came to teach us how to fulfill it.
Matthew 5:17-18 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Romans 3:31 – Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
If you go out and selfishly endanger other people during this COVID-19 pandemic, you are not loving your neighbor. Attending large gatherings, visiting overcrowded shops, parks, beaches and even camping increases everyone’s chances of contracting this deadly virus. Businesses have reopened and the economy is starting back up, but walking around as if there is no pandemic is dangerous to others. Stay home as much as possible, especially if you are sick!
Ask yourself if it is entirely essential that you leave your home today. Even if you don’t get sick, you can still be a carrier without any symptoms. A person with no apparent symptoms can be more dangerous to others as they can spread the virus without knowing.
You may be a carrier of COVID-19 without any symptoms. Refusing to social distance or going out when it’s not absolutely necessary, is putting others at risk.
2020 has been an extremely difficult year for everyone and 2021 may have similar restrictions. Everyone has been affected in some way, shape or form by COVID-19. We all want things to get back to normal but now is not the time to drop the ball. Many of us are trying to make things get back to normal and forgetting or refusing to socially distance.
We must recognize how easy it is to break the commandment of ‘loving your neighbor’. A simple, needless trip to the store is a perfect example. Once we recognize how we are falling short; only then, can we begin to change.
Humans are social creatures and we need to interact with others. Just because we can’t be together physically doesn’t mean we can’t be together in other ways. This is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the technology we enjoy today. Stay connected with others via social media, phone calls, texts and video calls! It’s easy to keep in touch with others if you make the effort.
As Christians, let’s do our part in the fight against COVID-19 by setting a good example and staying home as much as possible. The world always has and will continue to follow the lead of Christians. The sooner we can stamp put COVID-19, the sooner we can resume our lives again!
Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Proverbs 4:18 – The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Philippians 2:14-15 – Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.
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