As 2020 draws to a close, I keep thinking of one word: contagious.
The global Coronavirus pandemic changed our lives because of the highly contagious nature of COVID-19.
In May, riots spread with contagion in response to racial and social unrest after the killing of George Floyd.
Throughout the Fall, political agendas (both red and blue) voraciously spread across our nation in a contagious fashion.
The devil loves sinful contagion. The more we talk about sin, share sin, expose sin, and give airtime to sin, the more powerful it becomes. One person’s sin can go viral in the blink of an eye thanks to social media and the technology we hold in the palm of our hand. The devil loves this, because when we share sin, we multiply it. Even if the sin occurred a million miles away from us, we are still harmed by allowing it to become known. Given this, one might believe that “contagious” is a dirty and foul concept that we should avoid at all costs, but as powerful as this negative force can be, hope and the power of God are even stronger.
Contagious for Good
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) spread even more contagiously when given the same attention as their negative counterparts. We determine which message is spread. What we read, watch, comment, like, post, and share have the power to impact those around us.
Back in March, I wrote a blog post called, “I prayed for this.” In the post, I highlighted the hidden blessings of the Coronavirus Pandemic. A slower pace, more time with immediate family, and recognition and value for healthcare workers were among the high points. While I certainly do not wish the pandemic to continue, I still stand behind this concept. We know that God gives us beauty for ashes Isaiah 61:1-3, and we can rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope… Romans 5:3-4.
By seeking out the good in any scenario, we can change our own experience, and contagiously spread God’s message of hope to those around us.
If 2020 taught us anything, it was how quickly and easily things spread. Knowing this, let us go be contagious for God!
My Best,
