Not Rights, But Love!
I
know I might get myself in trouble with these thoughts this morning, and some
may miss my point, but I can’t help but notice how often people today use the
argument of “rights” to justify just
about anything they like. In fact, most
arguments today on both the right and left sides of the political spectrum have
to do with rights. People speak about their rights in discussions about abortion, gay marriage, personal
privacy, smoking laws, pornography, and the carrying of semi-automatic
weapons. Here in the U.S. we take our
“inalienable rights” and extend them far beyond “the pursuit of life, liberty,
and happiness” - or at least to our own exaggerated interpretation of those
words. We tend to forget, as Oliver
Wendell Holmes Jr. put it, “Your right to
swing your fist ends where my nose begins.”
I believe, however, that we who call ourselves Christians
need to set the example of what it means to move beyond one’s rights. Our way of thinking, lifestyle choices, and
that which we promote ought to follow the example given to us by Christ. That
means that we no longer live our lives based on our rights, but rather based on what is best for others—individually
and corporately.
The
Apostle Paul wrote, “Your attitude
should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did
not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” In other words,
Jesus gave up all of his rights—we
might even say his “inalienable rights”—for our sake, that we might have
eternal life. And, this is the way we
are called to think and to live.
Thus, as followers of Jesus Christ we will gladly forfeit
some of our privacies and privileges if it means safety for others. We will not do anything we want with our
bodies if it means life for another—or even another person’s health. We will not engage in freedoms that lead to bondage
for others. We will not engage in pleasures that bring harm to others or
degeneration to our culture. We will not
live merely according to what we perceive to be our rights! Rather, we will live as Jesus did: laying down our rights
for the sake of others.
Today I want to challenge each of us to move beyond the
argument of “rights.” As a Christian, the question I must
always ask is, what is best for the people around me, for future generations,
and for our society and nation as a whole? I must challenge myself to consider
not what is my right, but what will
promote the well-being of others. This
is the example Jesus gave us.
Ultimately, it’s not about our rights, but about love!
Have a great day!
Pastor Tim Harris
Comments
Post a Comment