I was invited to have a scan a few weeks ago and went to a local health centre. The letter clearly stated that face masks MUST be worn, and there was a notice on the door as I entered, stating the same. I sat in the waiting with two other people, all dutifully wearing our masks. The receptionist wasn’t wearing a mask, but she was behind a Perspex screen. When I was called through, I was greeted by two delightful women who said “you don’t have to wear a mask any longer, we really ought to take down the signage” I removed the mask.
This experience made me think, I know that the rules surrounding face coverings changed some time ago, and obedient as I am, I never questioned the letter or the signage, if the letter said that I should wear a mask, then I would do as I was told.
You might remember that there was an occasion when Jesus witnessed a group who were about to stone a woman, he challenged them telling to one who was without sin to cast the first stone. It is a very brave person who claims that they are “without sin” and I am certainly not making that claim about myself, I do my best to live by the rules.
In Old Testament times, the Israelite people believed that The Torah (the first five books of our modern Bible) were the essence of faith. Learning the rules and complying with them meant that they found favour with God.
Remarkably those basic initial rules are still the foundation of our modern-day laws, although, with the passage of time, the rule book has become increasingly complex as life has evolved. As we experienced the threats surrounding the Covid 19 coronavirus, a whole raft of new rules was introduced, and the agenda was to keep people safe and to stop the spread of the virus.
One of my greatest concerns in the modern world is that there is a culture of the rules applying to some, but not necessarily to everybody. In recent times, we have witnessed some of the most powerful and authoritative people in the world flaunting the law as though they are far too important to comply with the rules they impose on others.
With the ever-developing world of media, the example of those who have any influence over others can have a massive impact and in no time at all the whole moral code of society breaks down. I get increasingly concerned when somebody in power clearly acts inappropriately and rather than facing up to what they have done, they change the rules to vindicate themselves and somehow make their behaviour permissible.
I’m not in any way suggesting that as good Christian people we should see ourselves as being self-righteous examples for the world. I am as bad as the next person and break the rules, often unconsciously, sometimes deliberately, none of us is perfect. Some laws are outdated and need changing, others complex and difficult to understand, some can be contradictory or confusing. The point is that we should strive to do our best and accept the consequences if we get it wrong. The world could be a much happier place, if we care for one another, and look out for each other’s interests, rather than being self-centred.