Be kind to everyone

2 Timothy 2

I have been chewing through some thoughts for quite a while now, about a Christian's response to Covid-19. I have sat and watched and seen so many things from foolishness to outright anger and civil disobedience. I have prayed and pondered and waited to share these thoughts.

Then I came upon 2 Timothy today. Paul is teaching young Timothy how to shepherd the flock. He is teaching him what it means to be entrusted with the gospel. And as believers, co-heirs in this; we too have been entrusted with the Gospel. This advice is for us too.

I first need to jump to 1 Peter 2:13-25 because I think it lays out how we should be responding. We are to be under the authority of those put in charge with us, even when we disagree. As long as they are not asking us to disobey God.And as of now, we are not. We are not being stopped to preach, or teach, we are not being told we cannot share the Gospel with our neighbors- in fact we are being given one of the greatest opportunities of our lifetime to display the gospel to our neighbors through both word and deed. We are not being told we cannot gather- even if at the time its only electronically; we cannot have knee jerk responses to things not occurring. 1 Peter says it is GOD who puts our leadership into place. He knew where we would be located, under which governor and which town when Covid-19 struck - why do we question His Sovereignty? Be subject for the LORD's sake to every human institution...for this is the will of God... Live as people free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil but as living servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King. These words are literally meant for moments like this. Where we feel a need to interject our 2 sense. As Americans I firmly believe we confuse civil liberties with biblical commandments. We are NOT guaranteed freedom in anything other than Christ. Yes as citizens in American we have rights; but make no mistake our citizenship does not lie here. My question for us today- does our response to the leaders put over us proclaim the Gospel story or does it look like a worldy response? This is hard for us Westerners, we have never had to live under communism, or oppression or slavery- yet these verses were written when there were leaders who HATED Christians. Yet Peter does not teach civil disobedience but to use the opportunity to be Gospel witnesses. This book was written to Christians in persecution for their faith yet no where do we read words to incite a rebellion.

Peter goes on, for this is a gracious thing, when mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly...For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. Jesus Christ is our Supreme example. And he did suffer under unjust political and religious persecution. Yet he did not rebel; he did not slander- he bore witness to His father. Does your response cause others to sin or stumble? Or are you pointing people to the Cross with your response to Covid-19?

Jumping into 2 Timothy 2 now... I was struck by the simplicity and beauty of this passage for a timely manner.  Paul is discussing false teachers; but I ask, if we reject a biblical narrative to the pandemic; are we becoming false teachers as well? Paul says, But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness and their talk will spread like gangrene. Does your Social Media platform please the Lord as an aroma or are you so set on misinformation and your rights that you spread hate and fear?  Have nothing to do with foolish controversies; you know they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach and patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. So this really struck me- am I living in a way that I can demonstrate the gospel to my neighbors? If I have non believing neighbors who are terrified of getting sick- am I offering the hope of Christ or fear mongering them by demanding from a system whose leaders do not turn their head to the right or the left without God's permission?

I am reminded of Chinese Pastors right now- they do not teach their congregations how to petition the government but how to be gospel witnesses in prison. So that by their behaviors others might come to Christ.

We have but one purpose- to glorify God, our we showing the love of Christ Jesus to all those around us? Does our response teach of the hope that is within us? And maybe the question is, is our hope in American freedom or in Christ who sustains all things? When this is over; will people ask us how we managed well in our shackles? Do not grow weary in doing what is good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up! Sister- may we respond that our language is love and our determination the Gospel- may we not become gangrene in a world already full of fear. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earthly things.

May Jesus be your portion but today and tomorrow, amen. <3

P.S. Bible study will start again this week- look out for further detail.

Undone