And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NLT
Pshshshshshshsh. As the sound tickled my ears and the smell assaulted my nasal cavity, I knew the custodian was chasing germs away.
Disinfecting a school isn’t easy. Two weeks into the school year, and some students have already missed days due to allergies and sinus infections. As autumn and winter approach, we teachers know we have to hold the old devil flu at bay. So we disinfect and chase germs from our rooms.
When each day is over, I take out the Clorox wipes and wipe desks. I’ve listened to kids sneeze and watched them lay germy hands and contaminated Kleenexes on the desk surfaces. Occasionally, I, too, get out the can of Lysol and spray the entire room. It’s a tireless job, but I know doing this will lessen the chances of illness striking me and the children. As the disinfectants permeate our school, we trust it will kill harmful germs.
Jesus wanted permeation also—but not by germs that sicken and perhaps kill. He wanted permeation that gave life. So when His time on earth neared an end, He charged His followers with the task of permeating the world with the good news about the salvation He’d purchased on Calvary’s cross.
Just as our disinfectants permeate the school building, Jesus wants the message of His love and forgiveness to touch each person’s ears so they can have an opportunity to respond by faith. I don’t have to be a full-time missionary to obey His directives. Every believer is a missionary where they are. And the ways to spread the good news are myriad.
I have the privilege to spread the gospel every day as I teach middle schoolers. I also disseminate it with the press of a key or the click of a mouse as my devotions travel worldwide each day. Jesus gives all His followers daily opportunities to live out His love before others through our actions, attitudes, and words. All we have to do is ask Him to make us aware of the opportunities.
God wants the message of His love to spread and multiply like germs. He could charge the angels to spread it, but He chose us. Doing so isn’t difficult, and there aren’t any magic words we have to say. The message is simple: we’re sinners, God loves us, Christ paid for our sins, and we must believe in Him by faith.
Don’t keep God’s love inside. Spread it around.
Prayer: Father, give us the courage to spread the message of Your love to others.
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