Rule of Six

Six is becoming a very significant number, isn’t it? We have the Rule of Six, so that we cannot meet more than five other people at one time. And yesterday our Prime Minister suggested that the current situation is likely to continue for Six months. The idea being that if we do not all adhere to the regulations we may well be “Knocked for Six” as the cricketing phrase has it.

This concern that the spread of Covid-19 could increase exponentially is one that most of us share. However, there is also a suggestion that people have not been following the rules – hence the new penalties being introduced – and that people are tired of obeying the rules.  Whichever category the spreaders fall into, it’s human nature that we don’t want inconvenience and seek freedom to act as we wish.

Jesus’ words are a vital part of our nation’s heritage, and caring for others just as we are concerned for ourselves is fundamental to his gospel. The primary command is to Love God, which leads immediately to Love your Neighbour as Yourself. This obviously implies that we love ourselves in a manner which is about self-respect, responsibility and valuing our own lives as God-given. And when Jesus gives us the Golden Rule he says “Do to others as you would have them do to you”. Again, the vital fusion of self and other.

The truth is that if we don’t make sure that we are living in a caring and loving way we cannot expect others to behave that way towards us. If we do not value our own humanity, can we really appreciate and respect the human rights of all others? In the face of this ongoing epidemic, there is a danger that people may allow themselves to feel that it is about others and that I do very much what I personally prefer. The rules and penalties are important, but for Christians in particular – and surely for everyone – to regulate our contacts, to protect ourselves and to seek to support others needs to come from the heart.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of life and the wonder of your loving care. When life is hard, strengthen our resolve to remain faithful to you and to look to the needs of others as much as we care for ourselves. Give to each of us, and to our nation as a whole, the desire and commitment to prevent the spread of the virus and to protect our loved ones and our communities, especially those most vulnerable. In Jesus’ name. Amen