Flying Blind

There's a passage in Romans chapter 14 that provides some great perspective about our submission to Christ and how that produces a sense of freedom in our decision-making. We see these words:
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Our moral compass is determined by our devotion to Christ, and the certainty of our relationship to Him is our true north.  We know, within the body of Christ, that there will be issues over which we disagree, but we can be certain of the truths of Scripture concerning our salvation in Christ and His Lordship over our lives. We can agree as disciples, yet differ on how we live that out; we can consistently seek to be grounded in the teachings of Scripture.

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In 1st Timothy chapter 1, we find that Paul is encouraging Timothy to stand strong, and to, in essence, seize the leadership mantle God had placed upon him. We can read:
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 having faith and a good conscience...

As we wrestle with some of the economic numbers that have been released as of late, there are some glaring principles that emerge.  When facing a shortage of goods travelling to their destinations, you have to have the personnel in order to deliver the items.  For a few months, unemployment payments by the federal government, as well as states, provided disincentives to working.  So, people, faced with making more money by staying at home, exercised that option.

Now, with companies threatening to fire workers who do not comply with the government's threats to either mandate COVID vaccines for its own employees and to fine employers who do not force their employees to get the shots, there is a very real threat of a reduction of the workforce.  Rather than allowing people to make their own decisions based on their own factors, research, and conscience, we face the possibility of a greatly reduced workforce.

Recently, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, while missing the boat, or flight, in trying to punish the state of Georgia and city of Atlanta for their election reform laws, has labeled the threat of COVID vaccine mandates as "divisive."  In touting his company's 90% rate, according to Fox Business, he stated his view of the government's flawed philosophy:

"By the time we’re done, we’ll be pretty close to fully vaccinated as a company without going through all the divisiveness of a mandate," he said. "We’re proving that you can work collaboratively with your people, trusting your people to make the right decisions, respecting their decisions and not forcing them over the loss of their jobs."

The article said that, "Bastian acknowledged that there will need to be religious and medical accommodations made for those who wish to remain unvaccinated while avoiding having to threaten employment status."

Good for him - other airlines have not been so forthright, though.  Take Southwest, for instance, which has had troubled why it recently cancelled over 2000 flights over the course of a weekend.  According to a piece on the Standing for Freedom Center website, first it tried to blame the weather and issues with air traffic controllers.  But, other airlines did not face these issues, it seems.  The CEO of the airline seemed to be circling the airport in explaining what happened.  Finally, he stated his opposition to a mandate, but said the airline was trying to comply with the President's mandate that government employees be vaccinated by December 8 - you see, airline employees are considered to be federal contractors, according to Southwest's CEO.  But, just earlier today, the airline announced, according to CNBC.com, the following:

Southwest Airlines has scrapped a plan to put unvaccinated employees who have applied for but haven’t received a religious or medical exemption on unpaid leave starting by a federal deadline in December.

The Standing for Freedom website article says:

Fairly soon after the cancellations started piling up, it began circulating that the delays were in fact being caused by Southwest pilots “walking out” or calling in sick — on purpose. This “sick out” was an effort to protest the impending threat of losing their jobs due to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate (for a refresher on that mandate, see here).

Shawn Andrew Walker, ostensibly a pilot (captain) for American Airlines, issued a strong warning for everyone across America to stand up for freedom in the face of increasing mandates — before it’s too late. The video quickly went viral...

Oh, and of course, this tumultous weekend occurred after the Southwest pilots' union had filed suit against the mandate.

According to William Wolfe of the Standing for Freedom Center, this was a teachable moment.  He writes:

Americans are desperate for inspiration and longing for leaders — anyone — to stand up to the tyrants and defend their freedoms, to stand athwart history — this dystopian history unfolding before our eyes — and yell “stop!” Enough with the mandates. Enough with the madness. Enough.

For a moment, for a weekend, even as flights were grounded, spirits soared. Millions of Americans were inspired simply by the thought that a critical mass of employees took a stand against the unlawful, unconstitutional Biden administration vaccine mandates.

So, where do we stand?  People are leaving their jobs, either voluntarily or by force, because they are being coerced to make a private health decision. Is this a Biblical issue? David Closson of Family Research Council points out:

Christians believe that to willfully act against one’s conscience is sinful. Romans 14:23 teaches that “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” This admonition seems especially pertinent when the action involves something as personal as injecting something into one’s body which, according to Scripture, is a “temple of the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:19). In other words, Christians believe it is sinful to do something that goes against their conscience; therefore, it is morally wrong to force anyone to do something that violates their conscience. In the context of the vaccine mandate, it seems appropriate to honor and respect those who have legitimate, morally informed reasons for receiving or not receiving a vaccine.

Let me say this, we should be thankful for the incredible governmental system that we have here in America.  And, I affirm the work of the thousands of federal, state, and municipal employees who go to work each day, faithfully perform their duties, and carry out the services that benefit our communities.

But, overreach - driven by a desire for power and control, can be counterproductive. The Bible has a prescription for the role of government, and while order is paramount, unhealthy control should be countered.  That's why this article from which I quoted from the Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University is so accurate, I believe.   

As believers in Christ, we are called to liberty, and we can be inspired by those who are setting that example.  Freedom, as I have related before, does not give us the capability to do everything we want, but we certainly can have the capacity to do what we should.  For the Christian, we represent the Lord, and have willingly placed ourselves under His control.  So, day by day, we can make sure that we are seeking God in all our decisions.  And, in all things, we can be resolved to stand in His truth.