Are You Contagious?

From www.merriam-webster.com:
contagious [kuh n-tey-juh s] - adjective

• able to be passed from one person or animal to another by touching
• having a sickness that can be passed to someone else by touching
• capable of being easily spread to others: causing other people to feel or act a similar way

You've probably asked someone when they were sick or have been asked by someone else when you were sick "are you contagious?".  Contagious infections can be detrimental to one's health and they're something that we all tend to avoid if at all possible.  When someone is contagious they may, without even trying, pass their infection and sickness along to someone else.  That person, then passes it to another person and so on, sometimes resulting in an outbreak or epidemic.  

So are you contagious?  I don't mean with an infectious and deadly physical disease.  Are you causing people to feel or act in a similar way as you?  Things like smiles can be contagious.  Try it for yourself.  Smile at someone today when you pass them in the hall at work or school, or while shopping at the supermarket.  Most of the time the smile will be returned.  I've been doing this at work and I can't tell you how many frowns and stoic faces have morphed into smiles.

Are you contagious with the infectious fruit of God's Spirit?  

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV - [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Loving others unconditionally, joy despite the circumstances, peace in times of trouble, patience in frustrating situations, a gentle demeanor and the entire list in Galatians 5 are contagious when they are in action in our daily lives.  Being kind is contagious - just ask someone who has had a random act of kindness done to them.  When these traits are being produced in our lives, those around us won't be able to help feeling and acting in a similar way.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives will not go unnoticed by the people around us and will make in impact in our world.  We will become contagious.  But we can't be contagious with something we don't have.  The above list is the fruit of God's Spirit - what naturally grows out of our lives when we are filled with the Spirit.

If you aren't exhibiting these attributes, then maybe you need more of God in you.  Jesus said it this way: 

John 15:4-5 NKJV - [4] "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. [5] "I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

So do a quick "fruit inspection" of your life and if you're not "bearing much fruit" then commit yourself to abiding in Him - to spending more time with Jesus and His word.  As you grow closer to Him, you will become contagious with his attributes and make an impact in your world.

Blessings, 
Patrick A. Thomson