To Mask or Not To Mask

But one comment kinda stuck with me and bothered me for a little while. “Why wasn't I surprised when the first thing you say about yourself is that you "serve God"? Please list which fruit of the spirit you are exhibiting right now, and how you are following Jesus' mandate to love your neighbor as yourself. Your posts are possibly the worst, meanest, most unkind things I've seen on FB in a long time.” I was bothered that my serving God was in question and what fruit of the spirit I was exhibiting.

I originally thought she wasn’t surprised that I called my self a Christian, and I wasn’t bothered that she was accusing me of not being a Christian. I often have trouble lately using that word for myself because I also have issued with Christians. “Christians” often use the cop out of their sinful actions by stating that they aren’t perfect, just forgiven. While this is true, it is not a license for Christians to sin or absolve their involvement in it and just dismiss it casually.

While not absolved of their participation in the sin, a Christian that sins on the spot and without planning or with an intent, that is excusable. A Christian that plans to do wrong, schemes to harm another, blatantly sins in the face of God, that’s different. That’s the sin that I’m tired of from “Christians”. A Christian stubs their toe and curses and uses God’s name in vain. Yep, that’s a sin and wrong. But that isn’t the same as one Christian parent keeping a child from the other parent out of spite. A Christian walks down the sidewalk and because he is hungry grabs an apple from nearby without permission. Ye, that’s a sin. But it isn’t the same as Christian Insurance Agent that fails to update a clients records in a timely manner and then the client later gets an irreversible charge from the insurance company; the agent doesn’t offer to pay themselves for their mistake nor even apologize. Instead they refer you to the home office to deal with (who btw wouldn’t back the mistake of their agent even though they admitted of their mistake). A Christian that says something incorrect or incorrectly, also sinned. A Christian that fabricates stories about another is much worse.

Christians are indeed always going to make mistakes. As a Christian, I am guilty of sins as well. What I am tired of is the Christians that practice sinning and dismiss their sins quickly and quietly while sounding the trumpet and pointing at those that do them the same way. Here’s the problem. There is no test to see whether or not your a Christian. There is no litmus test that tells one what level of Christian someone is. And in reality, this is a good thing, especially if you are a true practicing Christian. If there were such a test, would you pass it? I sometimes wonder if I would.

It would be great if I could look at someone and know if they are a practicing Christian; not just someone says they are a Christian. Not only would I be slapped in the face a lot less by those that claim to be my Christian friends, but I’d have less knife wounds in my back from trusting people that say that are Christians; in reality the knife wounds are my fault because I am too trusting of “Christians” and am slow in learning my lessons. A “Christian Test” would also be great for atheists as they could see who the fake-Christians are and keep their distance. And a test could keep fake-Christians from hurting the Christian faith and Christ.

But wait, there is a test of sorts. Not of one being a Christian, but a test to see if one is, as I like to call myself now, a Christ Follower. And that is that they will know a Christ Follower by their love (John 13:35).

The term Christians came out of Act when disciples were first called Christians. Acts 11:26

Unfortunately, the name Christian isn’t held in high regards in many circles now days. And many times unfortunately, it is the Christians themselves that have put that stigma on. Although I am distancing myself from the Christian name, not Christ himself, I am referring to myself, and hopefully more successfully succeeding at, being a Christ Follower.

I was bothered that the individual was being sarcastic at my claims of following God. The person wanted to know which of the “Fruits of the Spirit” I was demonstrating. The answer is that I was not demonstrating any of them; nor was I breaking any of them. One might state that I wasn’t showing forbearance with my comment had I made the comment on purpose or with the knowledge that I had later. As I stated earlier, my timing was bad. I could use the Bible verse, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”(John 8:32). But using a Bible verse out of context is wrong.

Here is a couple that is in context. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight”, Proverbs 12:22 and “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”, Leviticus 19:11 and “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”, Proverbs 12:22 “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;” Zechariah 8:16.

As a Christ Follower, we are asked to test things (just not test God). “but test everything; hold fast what is good”, 1 Thessalonians 5:21. And how can we know that what we test is reasonable and true? God tells us that he holds everything up and consistently. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”, Hebrews 1:3 and “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”, Colossians 1:17.

People accuse the Christian faith as being afraid of science and that we listen to our “Holy” book instead of sound reasoning. This is absolutely untrue, so long as real science is followed. Since He holds it all up and consistently, and asks us to test things, we can believe what study. He ass us to do science.

What is science? Google defines it as “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.” The Christian faith has no problem and no conflict with this definition and this practice. But most scientists don’t do science. They claim science when repeatable observation and experimentation is not done.

Of the trespass I was accused of, the science, math and practice exonerates me. However, as is often the case, those that yell loudest, get what they want. People hoping for something that will work grasp at wishful thinking to make themselves feel better. Science has proven that placebos work, so I’m OK with people doing what they want to make themselves feel better. However, just because someone, or lot of someone's, need a placebo, not everyone does. And just because someone needs the additional placebos of everyone else also having to take the placebo, doesn’t mean that everyone else should have to take the placebo.

Here’s the deal. It isn’t a big deal to do something little for people. However, follow the science as they want to say, and you’ll see that our “science” of locking us in, restraining us and covering us up IS taking it’s toll. Suicides are up, depression is up and anxiety is up. That is real science. People not seeing their families, non-custodial parents not seeing their kids, and not throwing the life stresses of by meeting with friends is having their toll on society. Does the break-down of society to make some feel better warranted?

They are already proposing that we start to wear 2 masks. Does this sound like a mask works then? Certainly not. But I guess double hoping make for a better wish that something mat help. But that isn’t science. Science said one mask works. Now science says two masks worse. Also, a 14 day lock down for the nation that has continued for a year. Does any of this sound like science or people guessing and hoping?

I’m a Christ Follower and maybe a Christian. I believe in science. I don’t apologize for either. I’m not a trained preacher so, sure, there may be some pungent words and striking statements that could be said more gently. I’ll accept constructive feedback so I can improve how I communicate with people n the future. I’m not sorry for those that are offended by the words I choose. I opened myself up, and always have, for civil feedback, but I am not responsible for everyone’s insecurities. If there is a place that I don’t exhibit the Fruits of the Spirit, this may be one, I am not as gentle as I maybe could be. Maybe I’ll work on that. Then again, sometimes, people need to get their toes stepped on

So back to the sarcastic comment about the Fruit of the Spirit. I need to remember this when I get frustrated with Christians, being a Christian doesn’t make on perfect. The Fruits of the Spirit don’t define the Christian but is the aspiration a Christian shoots for. Here’s another good one, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” 1 Corinthians 13:4-6.