LOVE, Not FEAR: Why I Wear A Mask In Public

“’Food will not bring us close to God.’ We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.  But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak…. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.”
(1 Corinthians 8:8-9, 12-13)

“To wear a facial mask, or not wear one”… that has become a hotly debated question in today’s culture.  While I understand the reasoning and rationale that’s used to advance the respective views, what truly bothers me is how the rhetoric on both “sides” usually seems to assume that our motivations have something to do with FEAR:  if one wears a mask, it’s assumed that they are afraid of getting sick; if one does not wear a mask, it’s assumed that they are proud to show to the world that they are not afraid of getting sick.  And whether the “fears” of becoming infected are valid or not, this often creates at least a perception of judgement and a “I’m better than you” attitude by both “sides.”

To make matters worse, some Christians seem to equate the practice of mask-wearing (or not) with faith in God (or lack thereof).  I and others have heard well-intentioned church folk explain that they don’t wear a mask in public because they “have faith in God,” implying (perhaps without realizing it) that those who DO wear one don’t have faith in God.  I hope I don’t have to state how untrue this is, but in case there’s any doubt… it is.  And for me, at least, such a perspective totally misses the main reason why I, personally, think Christians DO need to consider wearing a mask in public:  out of LOVE and respect for our neighbors.

In the Roman culture from which the 1 Corinthians 8 scripture comes, food that was left-over from being sacrificed to idols in pagan temples was often taken to and sold in markets.  As a result, debate arose in the early church (at least in Corinth) about whether or not it was appropriate or acceptable for Christians to buy and consume the left-over idol-sacrificed food.  Some said it didn’t matter, because idols weren’t real, anyway.  But in the scripture above, Paul essentially says that while it is true that idols aren’t real, out of respect for those who don’t know any better, Christians should nevertheless still refrain, so as not to create a spiritual stumbling block for those who don’t understand that.  While today’s health crisis situation and circumstance is, of course, much different, I believe the principle is exactly the same:  consideration and love for OTHERS should be the basis for what we do as Christians -- NOT whether or not we have the “right” to do it, or because we’re afraid of getting sick from others or not.

According to data from the C.D.C., 35% of people who are infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic --  meaning that you and I can be carriers of the disease to others without ever developing symptoms ourselves (Read about this HERE).  As a result, in these last few months, I have tried my best to practice proper social distancing, wash my hands correctly, wear a mask in public, etc., etc..  However, the C.D.C. information tells me that there’s really no way for me to guarantee that when I’m around you, I might not unknowingly pass something to you.   Consequently, I currently wear a mask in public and in close quarters with others NOT because I’m afraid, or lack faith.  Instead, because of my faith, I choose to wear a mask out of love for others and a desire to protect them.

Please know that I do not judge or think badly of you if you choose not to wear a mask -- your choice is your own, and I respect and honor that.  But as we approach the time where we will be re-opening our church buildings for in-person worship, I simply want to highlight another way for us to frame the practice of mask-wearing:  that it should be about LOVE, not FEAR.  I want us to prayerfully consider doing what is best for ALL (including the most hesitant among us), rather than doing what’s best for US, individually.  I invite us to prayerfully consider “loving our neighbor” enough to do what makes them comfortable, rather than making the choice a statement about faith, trust or fear. 

So, if you see me wearing a mask in close proximity to you in public or at church, please remember:  it’s NOT because I’m afraid of you or that I lack faith; instead, it’s because I love you because of my faith!  Always know that God loves you and I do, too!