IT'S CONTAGIOUS

If it is in fact a real sickness and a true alibi, it is a considerate and good thing: Someone will say to me upon returning to church after missing a service. "Pastor, I didn't feel well, and in case it was contagious, I didn't want to bring it to church and infect everybody." There are things contagious other than bacteria and viruses. This morning (Thursday) I read in the news the results of a study that, if you are friends with someone who got a divorce, then you are 75% more likely to get a divorce yourself. The title of the article was Divorce is Contagious. This is an example of an effect known as social contagion. Attitudes, behavior, emotions, information , etc., are contagious. People infect other people. A bad attitude is catching. I have often seen this. For example, it takes only one young person to begin to complain, "I don't want to go to that youth camp. It is no fun. I don't like it. It is horrible." Soon that attitude begins to spread like the flu among the youth. Like the flu, thank God, not everybody catches it. But many do. The same is true about discontent, lack of faith, discouragement and the like. Fortunately, social contagion doesn't just work with the negative. Enthusiasm can be contagious. So can expressed faith, evident joy, and effulgent passion. None should stay at home, but each should inquire of himself, "Do I have something that is catching, something contagious? What about a bad attitude? What about wrong behavior? What about negative emotions?" None should want to infect others with such. The answer isn't to stay away from people or church. The answer is to let God correct what is wrong and give you something with which you do want to infect people. An expression of heart-felt lifting of hands and worship is contagious. A hearty amen, is infectious. Exuberant singing can go viral. The point is you are contagious. The flu you can leave at home. The joy bring it with you. Infect as many as you can.