When I was a kid growing up, my mom always made sure I never left the house without being properly bundled up against the cold winter air. "The quickest way to catch a cold is to go without a coat" she would tell me. Well, my mom was almost always right. But in this case, she was wrong. Exposure to winter's chill might lead to frostbite, but it won't lead to catching a cold. Only exposure to the viruses that can cause the common cold will result in catching the illness. The most common of these viruses is known as the rhinovirus, but other viral causes include the parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, coronavirus and adenovirus (are you impressed yet? Don't be. I just copied these from a list on some medical web site!). Now as we know, these viruses are very contagious. This is why colds are far more prevalent in winter months. It is during the winter that we have the most prolonged and close contact with others as we live much of life indoors. And so the best defense against catching a cold is to frequently wash your hands (and to stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing!).
Now as I thought of just how contagious these viruses are ... I got to wondering if my faith is just as contagious? Do people look at me and think, "Now there is an example of what living by faith looks like!" I must admit that probably not many people think that. But more important than what people think about my faith walk is what GOD thinks of my faith walk. Hmm. I need to spend some time thinking on that -- and I would encourage you to do the same. In fact, let's all ask God to make us increasingly into people who have a growing and vibrant faith that others "catch!"
Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj
