Some thoughts on love and rights
Today the headlines were: (warning: the links may contain disturbing images)
- Hong Kong protests of the introduction of national security law by the Beijing government,
- the FBI investigation into the death of George Floyd while in police custody, and
- Iran pushing for harsher laws regarding honor killings after a father slew his 14-year-old daughter
In the last few weeks some of my conversations with friends and posts I've seen online, rhetoric from the general public and even our leaders, have centered around our rights during the covid-19 pandemic crisis. Some of the issues include our rights to peaceably assemble for worship (a la the evangelical community) and the right to open up businesses again, and the right to walk freely without masks. It has been difficult for me to sit with these arguments.
I understand. For many, being able to worship together (and as a Christian, I know this is something we are commanded to do) is so beneficial. For some, it is the only time they have community. Being sequestered in our homes for the quarantine has led to dramatic rises in mental health needs, increased risk for domestic violence, even ideation towards suicide (and as a mental health professional, I care deeply about this).
For some, wearing masks is difficult because they already struggle with respiratory problems. Having a co-worker who struggles with asthma as she goes out with me to crisis calls, I have to attend to her needs.
For many, having to close businesses mean loss of jobs. Even I struggled with having some of my staff furloughed for a season, I wrestle with the economic realities of this pandemic on us, on the world. Unemployment is at a historic high. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. It really sucks.
But I wonder if we, as Christians, could take a minute to examine how we exercise and advocate for our rights. There are personal rights we should take a stand for. Rights to not be attacked in any way, harassed, mistreated. Rights to services that can benefit, like medical, mental health. But what if our insistence on rights lead us towards un-love toward others?
Paul talks a lot about this. In I Corinthians 8-9, he talks to the Church about being aware of rights but not exercising them SO THAT people will not be blocked from the gospel, SO THAT people do not stumble. If he had to choose between insisting on personal rights versus helping others grow and flourish, he always chose the one that loved people selflessly.
And of course, in Philippians 2, he urges us all to consider the interests of others above our own, to value others above ourselves, because our Lord Jesus modeled how to not insist on rights but ended up dying on behalf of all of us wretched sinners, now saved by grace. And where would we be if not for that?
Why did I talk about the headlines above? Because in each case, there are serious violations of rights at stake. Those rights being violated are not necessarily mine, but because I love many people in HK, because I love my Black friends, because I care deeply about the Middle East and rights of women being mistreated everywhere, I am choosing to highlight and care for them today. More than advocating for my own rights, I want to care about the many rights of all other people whom God also loves.
As troubled as I am by some of the rhetoric I see in the public, I am also encouraged by many who talk about loving others and standing up in the face of injustice. Many of my brothers and sisters in the faith: white, black, brown, yellow... all of us are learning to see the world through the perspective of God's heart and love. Let's continue to love each other and stand up for many people's rights to LIFE and the gospel through our advocacy, through our prayer, through our conversations and convictions.
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