Spreading Love: The Power of Positive Influence

 

Summary

In today's reflection, I invite you to consider the impact you wish to have on others as you navigate through your day. We live in a time where we are acutely aware of contagions, not just in the physical sense due to the pandemic, but also emotionally and spiritually. Emotions like laughter, anxiety, and anger can spread rapidly, influencing those around us. The question then becomes: what do we want to spread?

The story of Jesus and the leper in the Gospel of Mark serves as a powerful illustration. Lepers were isolated due to their contagious condition, yet Jesus chose to touch and heal the leper, demonstrating that love and compassion can be more infectious than fear. This act of touching before healing signifies a profound truth: we can choose to infect others with love and health rather than be consumed by fear of contagion.

C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" further explores this theme. The tempter, Screwtape, is frustrated by the influence of a Christian woman on a man he is trying to lead astray. Her life, filled with love and joy, becomes a contagion that even affects her surroundings, illustrating the power of a life lived in alignment with God's love.

We are part of God's kingdom, a movement of hope and meaning that transcends the fear of how others might treat us. Like Ulysses S. Grant, who learned not to be paralyzed by fear, we too can choose to focus on how we can bless others rather than be preoccupied with how they might affect us. Paul describes us as the "aroma of Christ," spreading beauty and joy to those we encounter.

As we go about our day, let us create spaces where love, gratitude, and encouragement flourish. Let us be intentional in spreading the mystery of self-sacrificing love and joy, becoming a source of hope and peace in a world that desperately needs it.

Key Takeaways:

1. Contagious Emotions: Emotions like laughter and anxiety are contagious, influencing those around us. We have the power to choose what we spread, opting for love and joy over fear and anger. [00:48]

2. Jesus and the Leper: Jesus's choice to touch the leper before healing him teaches us that love and compassion can be more infectious than fear. We can choose to infect others with health and love. [02:46]

3. The Power of a Christian Life: In "The Screwtape Letters," a Christian woman's life becomes a contagion of love and joy, affecting everyone around her. Our lives can similarly influence others positively. [03:54]

4. Living Without Fear: Like Ulysses S. Grant, we can learn not to be paralyzed by fear. Instead, we can focus on how we can bless others, confident in God's love for us. [06:51]

5. Being the Aroma of Christ: We are called to be the aroma of Christ, spreading beauty and joy. By creating spaces of love and gratitude, we can impact the world positively. [07:24]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:24] - The Question of Impact
- [00:36] - Contagions Beyond the Physical
- [01:00] - Laughter and Other Emotions
- [01:39] - Choosing Our Focus
- [02:07] - The Story of Jesus and the Leper
- [02:46] - Infecting with Love
- [03:10] - C.S. Lewis and Spiritual Contagion
- [03:54] - The Power of a Christian Life
- [05:11] - Part of God's Kingdom
- [05:49] - Ulysses S. Grant's Lesson
- [06:51] - Living Without Fear
- [07:24] - Being the Aroma of Christ
- [08:07] - Creating Spaces of Love
- [09:10] - Spreading Joy and Peace

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Mark 1:40-45 - The story of Jesus healing the leper.
2. 2 Corinthians 2:15 - "For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."

Observation Questions:
1. In the story of Jesus and the leper, why do you think Jesus chose to touch the leper before healing him? What does this action signify? [02:46]
2. How does C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" illustrate the concept of spiritual contagion through the life of a Christian woman? [03:54]
3. What lesson did Ulysses S. Grant learn about fear during his early military career, and how did it impact his approach to leadership? [06:51]

Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to be the "aroma of Christ" in our daily lives, and how can this metaphor influence our interactions with others? [07:24]
2. How can the story of Jesus and the leper challenge our understanding of fear and love in the context of our relationships with others? [02:46]
3. In what ways does the Christian woman's life in "The Screwtape Letters" serve as a model for how we can positively influence those around us? [03:54]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent interaction where you felt influenced by someone else's emotions. How did it affect you, and what could you have done differently to spread love and joy instead? [00:48]
2. Consider a situation where you might be hesitant to reach out to someone due to fear or discomfort. How can Jesus's example with the leper inspire you to act with compassion and courage? [02:46]
3. Identify a person in your life who seems to carry a "contagion" of negativity. What practical steps can you take to be a positive influence in their life this week? [03:54]
4. Think about a time when fear held you back from doing something meaningful. How can Ulysses S. Grant's lesson about fear help you overcome similar challenges in the future? [06:51]
5. What are some specific ways you can create spaces of love, gratitude, and encouragement in your home or workplace? How can these spaces impact those around you? [09:10]
6. Reflect on the idea of being the "aroma of Christ." What is one tangible action you can take this week to spread beauty and joy in your community? [07:24]
7. How can you intentionally choose to focus on blessing others rather than being preoccupied with how they might affect you? What changes might this require in your daily routine? [01:55]

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Emotional Contagion
Emotions are powerful forces that can spread rapidly among people, much like a contagion. Laughter, anxiety, and anger can influence those around us, shaping the atmosphere and interactions in our daily lives. We have the power to choose what we spread, opting for love and joy over fear and anger. By being mindful of our emotional state and its impact on others, we can create a positive environment that uplifts and encourages those we encounter. [00:48]

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where your emotions influenced others. How can you intentionally spread love and joy in a similar situation today?


Day 2: Love Overcomes Fear
The story of Jesus and the leper in the Gospel of Mark illustrates the transformative power of love and compassion. Despite the fear of contagion, Jesus chose to touch and heal the leper, demonstrating that love can be more infectious than fear. This act teaches us that we can choose to infect others with health and love, rather than being consumed by fear. By embracing love and compassion, we can break down barriers and bring healing to those around us. [02:46]

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4:18, ESV)

Reflection: Consider someone in your life who is isolated or in need of compassion. How can you reach out to them with love today, despite any fears you may have?


Day 3: The Influence of a Life Lived in Love
In "The Screwtape Letters," a Christian woman's life becomes a contagion of love and joy, affecting everyone around her. This illustrates the power of a life lived in alignment with God's love. Our lives can similarly influence others positively, spreading hope and joy in a world that desperately needs it. By living out our faith authentically, we can become beacons of light and love to those we encounter. [03:54]

"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on how your daily actions and attitudes influence those around you. What is one specific way you can be a positive influence in your community today?


Day 4: Courage to Live Without Fear
Like Ulysses S. Grant, who learned not to be paralyzed by fear, we too can choose to focus on how we can bless others, confident in God's love for us. Living without fear allows us to step out in faith and make a positive impact on the world. By trusting in God's provision and protection, we can overcome the fear of how others might treat us and instead focus on how we can serve and bless those around us. [06:51]

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a fear that has been holding you back from serving others. How can you take a step of faith today to overcome that fear and bless someone in your life?


Day 5: Being the Aroma of Christ
We are called to be the aroma of Christ, spreading beauty and joy wherever we go. By creating spaces of love and gratitude, we can impact the world positively. As we go about our day, let us be intentional in spreading the mystery of self-sacrificing love and joy, becoming a source of hope and peace in a world that desperately needs it. [07:24]

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere." (2 Corinthians 2:14, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a specific environment you are part of (home, work, community). How can you intentionally create a space of love and gratitude in that environment today?

Quotes

We have been going through such an unbelievably unusual and prolonged season together with COVID, social distancing, masks. We are keenly aware of contagions and have learned way more about them than any of us want to. But of course, it's not just physical disease that is contagious. Emotionally and spiritually, there are contagions. Laughter can be contagious. [00:33:46]

Other emotions are contagious also. Anxiety is enormously contagious. Anger is incredibly contagious. You look at a lot of life on the internet right now. It's the age of outrage, and it just spreads. One of the key choices that I have to make as I walk through this day is, will I focus on how do other people treat me? [00:89:43]

It's a classic story at the beginning of the Gospel of Mark where a leper comes to Jesus, and lepers were considered so contagious that they were forced to quarantine themselves, to stay at a social distance for the rest of their lives. The leper asks Jesus if you can help me, and the text says Jesus was indignant. [00:131:12]

He reaches out and touches the leper and tells him to be clean. What's fascinating is not just that he cleanses the leper but that he touches the leper before he cleanses them. He did not have to do that, but apparently, Jesus knew something. Where other people were afraid of what would happen to them if they got infected by the leper, Jesus decided that he would infect the leper with his health and with his love. [00:155:28]

C.S. Lewis's book "The Screwtape Letters," old Uncle Screwtape is this tempter devil, and he's writing to young Wormwood about the human being, the patient that Wormwood is supposed to try to keep away from God. What has happened now is that the human being has fallen in love and is going to be impacted now by a whole new circle of people. [00:183:36]

Your man is in love and in the worst kind he could possibly have fallen into. I have looked up this girl's dossier, and I am horrified at what I find. This is wonderful. Not only a Christian but such a Christian, a vile, sneaking, simpering, demure, monosyllabic, mouse-like, watery, insignificant, virginal, bread-and-butter miss. [00:209:92]

Now we are part of God's great kingdom, of the reign of God, where all is the way that God wants it to be, and we get to be a part of that. That means that we are part of a movement of hope and meaning that will surely prevail. So I don't have to walk through this day wondering how are other people going to treat me. [00:307:91]

It was a fascinating event very early on in the military career of Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War was at its early stages. He was not even a general yet. He was leading a relatively small group of soldiers and going into his first battle, his first engagement, and he writes how he was terrified. [00:342:16]

He learned that day that not only did he have to face fear, his enemy had to face fear. He said he never forgot that lesson. It got him into trouble sometimes later on in the war because he would be so filled with confidence in his own plans that he wouldn't always anticipate there might be some enemies who wouldn't be petrified with fear. [00:388:08]

Paul says this is a wonderful image, for we are the aroma of Christ. We are spreading, we can be spreading a kind of beauty and loveliness and joy into the lives of other people. That's what old Screwtape is so concerned about here. He goes on, then of course, the human being gets to know this woman's family and whole circle. [00:430:80]

Could you not see that the very house she lives in is one he ought never to have entered? The whole place reeks of that deadly odor. The very gardener, though he has been there only five years, is beginning to acquire it. Even guests after a weekend visit carry some of the smell away with them. [00:457:19]

We can seek to build little shelters in our apartment or our home, wherever we're living right now, in our office or desk or shop or wherever we're working or volunteering right now, so that love and gratitude and encouragement and hope and joy flow through us into the very places that we inhabit, into the dog and the cat, the people that we run into. [00:533:28]

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Transcript
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