We all have been affected by a contagious illness at one time or another. Families with children in school have experienced a sick child spreading their illness to everyone in the household. The flu is very contagious and can be fatal to the very young, very old or those with health problems. While in the hospital my wife picked up a virulent MIRSA infection that kept her from receiving chemo therapy for the cancer that eventually took her life. The threat is so serious that we have created the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta to track and control the spread of serious epidemics. But not all contagious things are dangerous.
There is a video going around Face Book that shows a man on a commuter train looking at his IPad and laughing. As he continues to laugh hysterically others in the rail car begin to smile and laugh with him even though they have no idea why he is laughing. Laughter is obviously something that is contagious. Have you ever noticed when someone yawns it causes others to yawn too? Yawning is not really good or bad, but even that can be contagious
Our attitude also can be contagious. Have you ever known someone who is so negative that they seem to suck the oxygen out of a room the minute they enter? When I headed up a team, I protected them against that kind of negativity and encouraged enthusiasm and optimism instead, both of which are contagious in a positive way.
Nothing spreads through the population as quickly as news at CLC. You may have heard me tell about my experience with our multicultural six-pac experiment. My small group met for the first time on a Friday evening at Panera Bread. Sewit and Rashard McMillian, Tiffany Hines, Alicia Penny, Tabitha Cochran and I introduced ourselves to each other initiating wonderful, lasting friendships. That following Sunday morning, a brother came up to me at church and said, “I didn’t know you knew Rashard.” Smiling, I responded, “I didn’t until two days ago.” The Good News of the Gospel should travel so fast. As a matter of fact, it does!
The Apostle Paul was a carrier and he infected Gentiles and Jews alike with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. The Good News then spread from person to person throughout Asia and Europe. Today the Gospel continues to spread around the world through personal contact. As in Paul’s time, many have been inoculated by the enemy to resist it, but the Holy Spirit continues to overcome.
It seems like almost everything in life, good or bad, is contagious doesn’t it? That being true, it is up to us to keep it all positive by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through personal contact along with our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These epidemics will change individual lives, communities, nations and the world for the better.