We must remember that the fall has impacted our humanity in a major way. In some way, we’re sick and completely stained by sin. We’re like a car with poor wheel alignment. We’re pulling in the wrong direction all the time.

Our foundation is wrong. We use the wrong starting block. When someone cuts in front of us, we’re angry right away, using not so nice gestures. When someone says something wrong, we immediately respond with a harsh word or two, too late to stop the destruction. When someone does something against us, we need no encouragement to hit back. Just like that.

Does one of these shoes fit? Then we have to put it on, because all of us are actually suffering the sickness of sin and we need medication to get healthy. We’re infected with a virus that makes us ill and we have to get rid of the virus.

After harvest time in the Boland, one sees how beautifully the vineyards change colour. The red leaves are especially noticeable and are even included in table flower arrangements. But many of the red leaves are caused by a virus that infects the plant. Like a cold is a virus that can make you ill, this virus can affect the capacity and quality of the vines so badly that the whole block needs to be removed.

We are infected with the sin virus in the same way and if we do not eradicate the virus from our lives, our capacity and quality will not be up to standard.

So how can we get rid of the virus?

Think about Jesus’ words. Jesus’ words healed people. Physically healed them. Lame people could walk. Blind people could see. Lepers were healed. But the biggest of these was his death on the cross that took away the punishment for our sin.

Everywhere Jesus went you could see healing. Not only for the people of 2 000 years ago, but also for us here today. Jesus’ words bring healing from the virus that is trying to overpower us. God’s words as they appear in his Word are the medicine that heals us of the sickness of sin.

Therefore, ⁸Your conversation should be so sensible and logical that anyone who wants to argue will be ashamed of himself because there won’t be anything to criticize in anything you say!

If you walk past someone who can hardly walk because of the illness he or she is suffering from and you have the pills in your pocket, will you give it to the sick person? Surely you would!

In the same way, you and I have the medicine that kills the virus, the healing and unequivocal medicine for the virus in the world. Let’s get rid of our embarrassment. Let’s open our mouths so that our words can heal people. So that people can be saved from eternal death.

Scripture
Titus 2:6-8

Reflection
What does the virus in you look like?
What do you have to work on?
How do you have to help others with their viruses?

Prayer
Lord, I’ve become so comfortable with my sin, but it is making me and other people ill. Please help me see sin for what it is and remind me to give your solution to other people too, before it is too late. Amen.