How are we Healing?

    The plan was for COVID-19, the novel Corona-virus to be fading away by now. And to a great extent it has. For those of us who have taken the logical step of being vaccinated life has mostly returned to normal. There are some who have been vaccinated who still contract the virus. For most of those cases the sickness is dramatically less severe than had they been un-vaccinated. Because I am now nearing 60 I have friends who are beginning to negotiate the various issues that confront us in middle age. We are starting to contract the chronic illnesses that are a sure sign of getting older. For many of us vaccination was critical. If you are already at risk and something can reduce that risk then it is a no-brainer. I also know some who cannot be vaccinated for other health reasons. That is another reason to get the shot. Traditional vaccination accounts for those who are unable to be vaccinated surrounding them with a community who are. Under those circumstances everyone benefits. 

This is why in the developed world we rarely confront Measles, Whooping Cough, or Polio. When people are confronted with a phenomena which can kill them, they generally take the precautions available to hold death at bay. I look forward to the day that we can well and truly say that this thing is behind us. Again, by us I mean the community in which I live, my nation, my world. Because even though I’m vaccinated and feel like I’m on the other side, life in human community means that my concern goes beyond myself. This attitude is at the heart of Jesus’ summary of the law into the two great commandments in Matthew 22.

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37–40 (ESV)

I am sometimes shocked that so many people who claim to believe the Bible, who accept it as the authoritative guide for their lives so cavalierly set aside what it says when louder cultural and social voices ring loudly in their ears. There are many times that Jesus, to be blunt and honest, does not care what your personal rights are. One of these days He is going to ask you and I how we  balanced selfish pursuit of individual autonomy against the revealed standard of loving your neighbor as yourself. Should be interesting. 

This attitude is not relegated to Jesus. Virtually all of the ethical and parenetic teaching in the NT only makes sense within community.  Take Galatians 5.19-24 as an example

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

Virtually all of the vices and virtues that Paul mentions either imperil or invigorate community. How can you even have jealousy, fits of anger (against whom?), rivalries, dissensions, division, and envy without community? Likewise love needs an object, peace needs a context, patience needs an irritant, kindness needs the downtrodden.  Need we discuss the circumstances which cause most of us to lose our self-control? I think that I (actually Paul) have made my point. But there’s more! Look what Peter says:

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

What was true of Paul is true of Peter. We are called upon to “love our neighbor”…good, bad, or ugly; as ourselves. This brings us back to the rhetorical question which is the title of this little essay. How are we Healing? The nation is still getting back on its feet. While some prosper others are getting sick. Some hospitals empty out, and others are filling. There is angst and anger. There is happiness and hatred. There is a great opportunity for God’s people to demonstrate in word and deed what it means to love neighbor as we love self. It is time for us to model what it means to be a healing community. Healing words. Healing deeds. Biblical love. Biblical grace. Biblical goodness. Biblical compassion. Many of you will think, “mind your business.” Well, as a preacher of the Gospel—this is my business. If we are persistently losing we in the overwhelming wave of me, it is time for the Heralds of God to remind the Church of our responsibility to love as Jesus loved.