I recently read an article that turned a light on for me and helped me understand why the United States has had such trouble getting a handle on the coronavirus pandemic. The author essentially said that fighting against the virus is requiring us Americans to change our cultural pattern. He went on to explain: As Americans, we are very much about our individual rights. The very founding document of our country proclaims we were created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We believe we’re entitled to these things and that nothing should stand between us and our ability to pursue them as we see fit.
This emphasis on individual liberty leads some to resist governmental authority on things like guns. Second amendment activists, and many gun enthusiasts, believe there should be no restrictions on purchasing, owning, and registering weapons. And we’ve seen this same anti-authoritarian and “nothing should restrict my freedom” mindset evidenced most recently in some people’s opposition to wearing masks. We’ve all seen videos of people reacting adversely to being asked to don a mask. Their response is typically along the lines of, “This is a free country and you can’t tell me what to do.”
The United States is what anthropologists call a “loose culture” as opposed to Singapore and China that could be characterized as “tight cultures” because they impose a variety of rules regarding social behavior. Because we are loose, we are neither conditioned nor particularly receptive to constraining our freedom. We are not sympathetic or open to the idea of sacrificing when it comes to being able to do as we want. And, because of our affluence and abundance as Americans, we also don’t have a history of dealing with famines, or invading armies, or public health threats. We haven’t learned the hard way, as the people of many nations of the world have, that tight rules and order can save lives.
Granted—I’ve heard stories from my parents about the sacrifices that were made, and the voluntary steps everyone took, during World War II in order to defeat a common enemy. And we Americans will do that when there’s a consensus regarding the existence of a common enemy—for instance, we’ve adapted to new procedures at airports because of an identified common enemy called “terrorists.” But the political climate of our country today is so divided that many people don’t view the coronavirus as a common enemy. They believe it is a hoax invented by Democrats to get President Trump out of office, or a delusion perpetrated by a small circle of folks trying to bring about some other desired outcome.
But here’s where I’ve landed in relation to this whole matter. First—I believe, as a follower of Jesus, the culture I am to live by is the culture of His Kingdom and not the culture of my country. While I am a proud American and grateful to be a citizen of this amazing country, my allegiance to it is secondary to my allegiance to God’s Kingdom. And for that reason, there’s a certain sense in which I am to be countercultural—to live a life that is at odds with the culture and world around me … a life that inculcates Kingdom values … a life that reflects a Kingdom approach to how we should go about our day-to-day existence. In many ways the church is to be a countercultural society—in fact, it was its countercultural nature that, in large part, made it so attractive and appealing to the ancient world.
Second—I believe Jesus taught us that we’re to love our neighbor as ourselves. This idea should serve as a foundational notion, and a guiding principle, for our lives. We are to go through life with an eye toward how we can more fully love our neighbor and communicate to them the consideration and respect we have for them. When push comes to shove, what is preferable to them should be just as important to us as what we personally prefer.
So … here’s where I’ve landed as it relates to the question of whether I should mask up during this pandemic. Even though I really don’t want to wear a mask—it’s hot and uncomfortable—I always strive to do so whenever I’m out in public or around non-family members. I don’t wear one when I’m at home or alone in my car. But I’m persuaded by the science that says my wearing a mask protects others … and I don’t want to do anything to harm my neighbor. In addition, I choose not to give offense to my neighbor who, even if the science is wrong, believes that my mask wearing serves to protect them. I wear a mask because I want to say to everyone around me, “I am not a threat to you. I value you so much I’m going to make this little sacrifice so you can feel safe around me.”
At the church I attend, we’re currently offering virtual services for that same reason—we don’t believe we can keep people “safe” at in-person gatherings (plus, we’re also under a county mandate). But the mandate is about to expire and we’re starting to have conversations about re-opening and, if so, what it should look like—when … what safety protocols should be in place … whether to require masks. My sense is if we’re thinking about the community in which God has placed us and not just ourselves … and if we’re truly committed to practically fleshing out the Kingdom value of honoring and loving our neighbor, then putting a mask mandate in place shouldn’t be that big a deal. As a local church, we shouldn’t be embarrassed or ashamed of implementing a cultural guideline that will help us to more effectively live out a Kingdom principle even if it goes against the surrounding orientation of our culture.
In an individualistic “loose” culture such as ours, loving our neighbor as ourselves will often require that we go against the grain of our surrounding culture. But … it is a privilege that will make a greater difference than we can possibly imagine. And if it means donning a mask at worship gatherings (even though I’d be more comfortable if I didn’t have to do so) and putting up with the inconvenience that goes with that, I’ll do it without griping or objecting. Because loving my neighbor and making a small sacrifice in order to express worth and value to them is worth it!