Obedience Is a Form of Love
Obedience
Today, a pastor in Louisiana was visited by the authorities and charged with violating the governor’s stay-at-home order. Yesterday, a pastor in Florida was arrested for defying a public health order aimed at curbing the spread of covid-19. Two days ago, Sunday, I stood in an empty church building and preached the Word. Like most pastors in areas throughout the United States where we have been asked to honor ‘no-gathering’ orders, we chose to preach to an absent congregation and then put the sermon up on the website. Scripture is clear about following lawful orders. It is an extremely rare occurrence where our duty as God’s people is to practice civil disobedience.
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Romans 13:1
Love
The following Scripture verses, from 1 Thessalonians, encompass a passage I have used at memorial services for individuals that have demonstrated love in the manner Paul describes. We are being asked by our state governor and the nation’s president to practice the principles in this passage.
- Lead a quiet life
- mind your own business
- work with your hands
“Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia (the Sky Valley). Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
WE can win the respect of those around us by demonstrating love in our daily lives. Right now that love includes physical distancing for the safety of those we love.