Working at a daycare, you never know what will come out of the kid's mouths next. Something I've been working on with them is manners. Before giving them food, they have to say please. When I give it to them, I help them with saying thank you. Of course, since the kids are little you get all kinds of responses like, "peas" "tank oo" "sink you". One day I was giving them their lunch and I was feeling a little tired that day, so I completely ignored the please and thank you sessions. All of a sudden, while the kids were eating I hear one of my little boys say "Tank you, Laura". I turn around, smile, and say "You're welcome, babe!". Soon after, the rest of my kids start saying it too. Every single one of my kids practiced manners that day because one boy started a chain reaction.
This reminds me of something. A lot of times, I hear people tell me my smile or my joy is contagious. It spreads and affects others. But what is something else that's contagious? Love. Showing Christ love to others is so contagious. Jesus's love for us is patient, kind, and it never fails, and that's how we should love others. That's what we are called to do, you guys. (Ephesians 4:2, John 15:12, 1 Peter 4:8...) One of the greatest things you can do to a person is to love them. You seriously never know what it can do for a person.
Think about your church and the Christian groups you're involved in. If someone walked in there, not knowing anyone, and didn't feel loved, do you think they would come back? Probably not. That's why loving people is so important. I was saved because the people in my church loved me so much, no matter what my walk of life looked like. I kept going back because I felt the love I wanted to feel, and eventually realized that it was Christ's love radiating through them. When they feel that love, they'll want to love other people. And so on. It will become another chain reaction.
A chain reaction. That's my point. Love is contagious. Christ's love is important and beautiful. If God didn't love us, the debt of our sins would have never been paid in FULL. So love. Love like Jesus. And when someone loves you, let it affect you to the point where you're loving too.
