Today’s Scripture Passage:
1 Corinthians 12
Key Verse:
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (NLT)
If you don’t follow baseball, you might not know the Washington Nationals did not get to play the first four games of this year’s season.
Why? Because four team members tested positive for Covid. And five more players, plus a staff member, were quarantined due to contact tracing.
That’s right! The disease created a rippling effect of impact on the entire team. And it didn’t stop there. It also affected the other teams they were scheduled to play.
Now please don’t misunderstand the point of this. I’m not implying Covid is the result of sin, and I have no idea if the team members’ choices played a part in them contracting Covid. That’s not my intent!
But…
I am thinking about how insidious sin is. Yes! Jesus-followers are not immune. We’re freed from sin and forgiven for our sin, but we must never allow ourselves to forget the dangers of practicing sin.
Sin will infiltrate every fiber of our lives and impact all those around us. Just like Covid infected one member of the team and spread to others. Our sin is like an infection in the body of Christ.
Jesus cautioned His disciples about the “yeast” of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
But Jesus also said the Kingdom of Heaven is like a little “yeast” that spreads throughout an entire batch of dough.
All I want us to think about and remember today is…
We are responsible for our choices and our choices determine what type of influence we are in every one of our relationships.
Are we going to be like the bad company that corrupts good character?
Or are we going to be the faithful companion whose life helps others rise up and become both healthy and beneficial members of the body of Christ?
Digging Deeper:
Psalm 101, Matthew 13:33, Mathew 16:5-12, 1 Corinthians 5, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Galatians 5 & 1 John 1:9
1 Pray before reading this week’s Digging Deeper verses. Ask Holy Spirit to help you understand what you’re reading and how each applies to your life.
2 Who are the people who influence your choices? Are they bad company or faithful companions? What about you? What permeates the lives of those around you?
3 Is there something you need to confess? If so, talk to Jesus about it today. Don’t wait! Forgiveness and cleansing are promised to all who confess their sins.
If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.