Love to hear from and know who is listening
There used to be a sitcom on TV called “A 1,000 Ways to Die.” The show featured all the different ways a person could have an unexpected death. Daily the news media tells us of how many people have been infected with COVID 19. According to the World Health Organization, over 79 million people in the United States have been infected with COVID 19 and 966,000 people have died. According to the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of emergency department visits with infectious or parasitic diseases in 2018 was 3.4 million and of those 523,000 resulted in hospital admission.
So my difficult question for you today is, are you an infectious person? Are you an “Infectious Christian?” Do you have an infectious smile? What personality traits of yours rub off on the people around you? When you are surrounded by your co-workers or your friends and family are you cheerful, do you cheer up the people you are with or are you an angry negative personality that makes those around you angry. Generally speaking if you are surrounded by someone that is loud and obnoxious then you become loud and obnoxious. Your personality can be like an infection can be easily spread from one person to another. Some infectious personalities are good and some are not so good.
Ephesians 4: 29-32 NIV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
What does it mean to be a contagious or infectious Christian, where our faith is “caught” by those around us? Most of us would love to see our non-Christian friends to step across the line of faith, but we are overwhelmed or intimidated by the idea of evangelism. We are overwhelmed by the idea of witnesses or sharing our faith with friends, family and neighbors. One reason that we struggle being an infectious Christian is fear and self-centered living. We get so involved in our daily lives we don't make time to talk with our friends about our faith. Sharing our faith with our friends doesn’t always come naturally. Most of us want to share the gospel but feel hesitation and fear, or don’t know how to start, what to say or how to answer questions we might encounter. We fear a bad reaction or worse, rejection. Sharing your faith should not be something that creates stress or induces worry but rather, evangelism should be an authentic part of how we, as Christians, conduct our lives. In other words, it should be our main goal to be an “Infectious Christian”, spreading our love for the gospel and Jesus by the way we live our lives and interact with others.
Proverbs 13:22 NIV A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Is your personality one that leads others to God? Do people that know you, come to know God, because they know you? Are you an “Infectious Christian?” The greatest legacy you can have is to know that there is someone in heaven because of you. Because you were an “Infectious Christian.”
