John 15:13 states, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (NRSV).
This is a Christian principle, but there are some closely related American ideals to that: the self-sacrifice and resiliency of our people.
American history shows, time and again, that we are willing to do difficult things for the sake of our communities and neighbors. It is the willingness of the American people to do the hard, sacrificial thing that has led to our country’s great resiliency.
We are living in exceptional and chaotic times. And now, more than ever, we need to recapture that spirit of sacrifice for the common good.
I wish to call upon our leaders, and my neighbors, to hold this ideal of shared sacrifice in the forefront of our words and actions. We can do difficult things for the sake of our neighbors and our country!
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We can, and should, proceed cautiously with our reopening. We can, and should, take all necessary precautions to prevent further spread.
Will this be difficult at times? Yes. But these actions are actions of love and care for one another. The sacrifices we make now are not only in keeping with our American ideals, but they are also sacred actions of sacrificial love.
Rev. Jon Nelson
Willmar
