Day 1985 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

1 Corinthians 10:24 NIV

I do not like the idea of these daily posts coming across as nothing but rants. This isn't my platform. This is about our Father, His word, and trying to make a positive impact in our world. So this isn't my place or opportunity to just vent and use the Bible as an excuse to do so. Now that being said, I also feel that if something is really on my mind and has me all fired up, then it might be telling me to talk about it. I was so lit up yesterday that I ended up having to take notes so I wouldn't forget all the things I was thinking. This might be a long one, so I guess consider that your fair warning.

I am absolutely ashamed of some religious folks that I've seen talking and posting on social media here lately. Could not be more disappointed and just confused at where we've gone wrong in our modern view of what Christianity is all about. The difference between Christianity and religion is huge in my opinion, but that's an entirely different topic that I could spend all day talking about. This is just one little piece of it. What I'm trying to say is that we've forgotten or chosen to overlook some of the most basic principles of our faith, and it's time for a reality check.

This whole pandemic thing has really given everyone a perfect chance to show their true colors, and sadly, we're not painting a very united picture from our faith's perspective. Yesterday I saw someone share a video of this pastor talking in his car about the new mask ordinances. His title for his little spiel was I'm not in compliance, I'm in defiance. Wow, okay. Now I don't know where everyone stands on the mask requirements, and frankly I don't understand why it's become such a polarizing topic. But the selfishness that I've seen and heard from people about it is disgusting to put it bluntly.

It's a face mask. It something that our world is kindly asking everyone to wear to help slow the spread of this illness so that we can get on top of it and keep as many people from getting sick as possible. It's a piece of fabric. Yet people are acting like they're being forced to sign over their first-born child to be sacrificed to the powers behind the scenes calling the shots. That's stupid. Just stupid. It's a mask. But even more than that, it's a chance to step up and prove that we really do care about others and are willing to do our part to help out in a very real situation.

There have been people saying that they won't wear one because it's about trying to take away their freedoms. Don't know where to start on that one. Others are saying that it's all just a hoax made to keep us living in fear and begin to take control of our lives. Then why are real people being truly affected by it? How are they controlling our lives by asking us to wear a piece of cloth over our mouths whenever we go shopping? Not very much control there. I even heard one lady, who plainly said she was a Christian, say that the health and safety of others isn't her responsibility. That one there is scary!

Again, this whole ordeal has given everyone a chance to show who they are and what they really believe in. To me, my faith is about humility and love and kindness and caring. It's about putting others before myself. It's about doing my part to help others in whatever way that I possibly can. It's about realizing that some things really are truly scary, dangerous, and much bigger than me. It's about taking advantage of every single opportunity I'm given to share the love and kindness of Christ with everyone that I can. It's not about me. It's not about what's comfortable for me. It's not about what's easy for me. It's not about my hesitation to change. It's not about my doubts or uncertainties. It's not about bucking the system because I believe everything is a lie or a hoax. To me, that's all just foolishness that does nothing but take our focus and time away from the simple things that we should be doing as Christians.

That's the whole point of this verse. It's not about us. It's about loving others and putting them and their needs above mine. Some people may not feel that comfortable wearing a mask. But nobody is comfortable laying in a hospital bed fighting a life-threatening virus. Some people don't like being asked to change how they live for a little bit. Nobody wants to deal with potentially losing a loved one. Life will never be about what makes us comfortable or what's easy or normal. Those things just don't matter as much as putting others above our own wants and caring about helping everyone that we can.

In my mind, if we can do something simple that could very well help someone else, then what does hurt? Does it put us out? Maybe. Does it require doing something different than we'd normally do? Maybe. Does it force us to look beyond ourselves? Yes it does, and unfortunately, that's not always an easy thing for people to do. But it's what we're called to do. It's what Christ did when He carried that cross and suffered the pain and disgrace that He didn't deserve. He did it for us. Not because it was fun, or comfortable, or enjoyable. But because He loves us. That's the kind of love and selflessness that we're all called to share with those around us. And if we can't do that, then we need to seriously ask ourselves if we have the right to call ourselves Christians.

Humility and putting the needs of others before our wants will never be popular in this place. But it has to be in our faith. It has to be the normal thing to do in our hearts. It has to, because if it isn't, then we're failing. If loving others more than ourselves isn't our goal, then we're failing. If doing whatever we can to love, support, encourage, heal, motivate, and better those around us isn't our priority, then we're failing. And if our focus is on only what's good or comfortable or normal for us, then we're just plain wrong.

So I'm truly sorry if this post is offensive or goes against what you believe. I'm sorry if my view on this thing is different than yours. And as with the 1984 others posts that I've written, I'm sorry if I've gotten things wrong or put too much of myself in these words. But at the end of the day, the Bible is the truth and there's no debating or apologizing for what it has to say. And so when it says to love others and put them before ourselves, then that's exactly what we need to do.

I just know that as Christians, we're called to rise above the broken ways of this world. So if standing in defiance of simple health or safety requirements is our focus, then I'd say we're missing something. Is a face-mask the stand that we want to take? Is that the biggest fight that we have to win? Is that our biggest worry right now? I personally don't think so, but I can't and won't speak for anyone else.

To bring this horribly long post to a close, just be good to others. Put others before yourself. Love them every chance you get. Stop worrying about what's easy or comfortable. Stop looking for reasons or excuses to be selfish. Selfishness has never, and will never be okay. And it definitely will never fit who and what Christ calls us to be. Let's all just try to live and love like Jesus. That's our goal, nothing else.