Other than maybe the current situation in Afghanistan, I can’t think of a topic that is on the minds of more people lately than Covid-19 vaccines. It has certainly been at the forefront of my mind, as I have been wrestling for months (and with increased intensity the last three or four weeks) over the vaccination decision, especially when it comes to my thirteen year old daughter. There have been some faith questions I have had to work through, a plethora of information to review on both sides of the argument (often from medical professionals who have been practicing for years, are followers of Jesus, have no particular political bent, have no reason to lie to me, and are sharing data that is polar opposite from one another), fears I have had to pray through, and on and on.

I won’t share with you here what decision we have made, because I am not sure it matters. While there are certainly others like me out there, people who have not taken a firm stand one way or the other, most folks seem to be relatively “dug in” on whichever side they have taken. If I am honest, I am a bit jealous of those who are convinced of their convictions (although there are likely fewer of those people than meets the eye, if we were able to truly see inside of their heads and hearts). For me, it was not a decision that I was able to arrive at easily.

And I am still praying that I made the right call . . . and a little anxious that I might not have.

Because of this, I am not at all interested in trying to convince you of the “necessity” of taking either position. My guess is that you have already had plenty of conversations along those lines. This is especially true if you have spent five minutes on social media. Instead, as someone who is a follower of Jesus and has spent hours trying to gauge His perspective on the matter, I would like to share with you a few things I think Jesus might say to us if He were physically present.

Disclaimer: I am not claiming to be speaking prophetically here. This is by no means a “thus sayeth the Lord” type of thing, thus the emphasis on “what Jesus might say.” If you claim to speak for God, you had better get it right, and I am not willing to take on that responsibility here. My thoughts are based entirely on my experiential knowledge of the tenderness of Jesus when dealing with weak and broken people, as well as truths that I believe are clearly evident in Scripture.

So, without further ado, what might Jesus say to His followers regarding Covid-19 vaccinations?

To all of us . . .

First, I believe there are a few things that Jesus might say to all of His followers, regardless of which position we have taken:

• “I know things are a little scary right now, but I am still in control.” (Isaiah 45:7-9)
  
  
• “Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 10:31)
  
  
• “Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
  
  
• “I am less concerned about your decision regarding vaccines (or anything else) than I am with how your heart is growing in love for Me and those around you. Make sure you don’t lose sight of those things.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
  
  
• “Behold, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:12)
  
  

To the “pro-vaxxer” . . .

To those in favor of receiving the vaccine, I expect Jesus might say something along these lines:

• “Thank you for your heart to love your neighbor well by doing what you believe to be necessary to protect them. When you do that with pure motives, I receive it as worship. I am especially pleased when you take action to protect and care for the most vulnerable members of society.”
  
  
• “Guard your heart to make sure that your love for your neighbor extends to those who disagree with you. They are not your enemy simply because they see things differently.”
  
  
• “Be careful not to cross the line of putting your faith in science or any creation of man. Remember that I am your ultimate source of protection and healing.”
  
  
• “Despite what others might tell you, your choice to receive a vaccination or take a medication is not an automatic indication of a lack of faith.”
  
  
• “Be patient with those who disagree with your position. They are definitely not all conspiracy theorists who are only concerned about themselves and think that the government, health care professionals, scientists, Bill Gates, or <fill in the blank> are out to get them. Don’t assume to know their motivations.”
  
  
• “Fear is not the best motivator for trying to convince others of your position.”
  
  
• “If you feel compelled to receive a vaccine, perfect. Let your redeemed conscience guide you, and make sure your motives are pure. Just be careful that you are acting in faith, for any action not taken in faith is sin.”
  
  
• “If you find yourself making comments to ‘anti-vaxxers’ similar to ‘I will have a hard time shedding a tear at your funeral if you die from a Covid-19 infection and you haven’t been vaccinated,’ you have crossed the line from loving well to being a jackass.” OK, Jesus probably wouldn’t say that one. That one is all me. (I have seen this comment made several times on social media. Ugly, ugly stuff.)
  
  

To the “anti-vaxxer” . . .

And to those who are opposed to vaccination, Jesus’s words might be as follows:

• “Thank you for your heart to honor Me by placing your faith in My ability to heal you and keep you safe. When you entrust your very life to Me, I receive it as worship. Also, thank you for trying to love your neighbor well by sharing your concerns about potential safety issues associated with the available vaccines.”
  
  
• “Guard your heart to make sure that your love for your neighbor extends to those who disagree with you. They are not your enemy simply because they see things differently.”
  
  
• “While I am your ultimate source of protection and healing, I have a history of using doctors and medication to heal. Don’t forget that I am God over science as well as the supernatural.”
  
  
• “Despite what others might tell you, your choice not to receive a vaccination is not an automatic indication that you are only concerned about yourself and that you do not love your neighbor.”
  
  
• “Be patient with those who disagree with your position. They are definitely not all part of some great conspiracy to take over and control your life.”
  
  
• “Fear is not the best motivator for trying to convince others of your position.”
  
  
• “If you feel compelled to not receive a vaccine, perfect. Let your redeemed conscience guide you, and make sure your motives are pure. Just be careful not to place a higher value on your liberty than on loving well.”
  
  

To the one who is consistently judging motives, stirring up strife and causing division about this topic . . .

This one is easy, and the only one for which I am willing to remove the “might” qualifier:

• “Stop it.”
  
  

As usual, I invite you to share any questions, comments or feedback in the comments section below, or to connect with me for discussion on social media. I look forward to chatting with you soon!