NOT Germs!

The two items pictured above are on my desk. Both are products of 2020. For the last 20 years hand sanitizer is always in my study (I am married to an elementary school teacher), but the face mask? Yeah, that is something new to 2020.

Both this bottle of hand sanitizer and the mask are from members at Central. A new Christian and member at Central made the mask for me at his print shop. The teens at Central put together gift bags for the teachers and somehow I ended up with one of the hand sanitizers from those bags. Thank to both for filling these 2020 needs.

When I saw them together, it hit me that at Central we need (and every Christian everywhere needs) to take the message on that bottle of hand sanitizer to heart. Spread LOVE not germs.

SPREAD love not germs: Dictionary.com defines the verb usage of “spread” in a number of ways. Among those definitions are the following: “to distribute over a greater or a relatively great area of space or time; to extend or distribute over a region, place, period of time, among a group, etc.; to send out, scatter, or shed in various directions, as sound, light, etc.; to scatter abroad; diffuse or disseminate, as knowledge, news”

Spread LOVE not germs: Do I dare define love. I am sure that any definition would fall short. Yet for our thoughts let’s define it as “good will and good actions toward others.”

Spread love NOT germs: Not is an adverb that negates the verb or prohibits the further action of the sentence.

Spread love not GERMS: Those microscopic bacteria or viruses that cause infections and disease. This year and this bottle have specific reference to the coronavirus known as COVID-19. But there are other infections that are not physical or medical. There are what one might call “spiritual germs.” Attitudes or philosophies that hinder our walk with God. Attitudes of pride, rebellion, dishonesty, hate, envy, malice, etc. The philosophies of man that deny God or inhibit praise or recognition of Him.

Spread love not germs. “Scatter abroad over all the earth, every where you go and wherever you find yourself, distribute good will and good actions toward others and do not distribute things that injure, infect, or impact others negatively.”

Spread Love Not Germs!

– Scott