I originally published this post in early February 2020, before we were fully aware of what the new Covid-19 virus would mean to all of us. I decided to share it again, in case you missed it the first time around.

Infectious diseases can be scary, especially one that’s new and has no vaccination. When illnesses are introduced into a population that hasn’t built up an immunity, it can spread rapidly, becoming an epidemic. You never know if you’re standing next to a carrier in a public place.

Early Christianity spread like an epidemic. When Paul’s journey took him to Greece’s shores, he was the first to preach the gospel in Europe. It then became a pandemic. There had been nothing like this to match the infectious enthusiasm of the believers and the demonstration of power in the Holy Spirit. It spread friend to friend, house to house, and nation to nation. Attempts to suppress it only emboldened the carriers of the good news.

I heard a preacher say, “You folks are trying to infect other people with a disease some of you don’t even have.” I’m not sure that’s true in most cases. People who aren’t Christians won’t put much effort into trying to spread the message. They may be good people who are pretty good examples, but that’s not going to transform other’s lives.

I think people who are Christians forget that they are carriers. We are carriers of the gospel, carriers of Jesus, and carriers of the Kingdom. Our lives should be so infectious that other people can’t help but catch it. It’s in our actions, our words, and our demeanor.

If we have quarantined ourselves into little enclaves that keep it all to ourselves, we’re not actively trying to infect new people. Some of us have just enough Christianity to become immune to its full power. Don’t give me a little inoculation. Expose me to the full-on disease.

Many of us Boomers are living with the aftereffects of experiences we had decades ago, and haven’t felt a fresh touch of the Spirit in a long time. No one can survive on stale bread alone.

Our condition is supposed to be curative. It’s meant to bring life to save lives. It may look scary to those on the outside who haven’t experienced its freedom and deliverance. Others may think it’s crazy. They may feel threatened by the possibility of change.

Love those folks. Be infectious. Breathe out the Spirit in your words. Be consistent. You carry the Kingdom everywhere you go. Pray that others catch it.

Shalom, Dottie