Catching the Plague

I was doing a little driving this week and heard a short quiz on the radio station I was listening to. The answer to one of the questions was that the black plague still infects approximately 200 people per year around the world, but that with modern medicine there almost no deaths because of it. Quite a difference from the near 75 million who are thought to have died from this back in the 1300's. It is said to have wiped out from 30-60% of the European population of the time. Which leads me to reflect on another thing I heard this week. President Hamel of the Evangelical Free Church of America suggested in a panel talking about reconciliation that we need to 'get over the idea that to be with sinners is to catch what they have. If that is a problem then the problem is with us, not with them'. (Not a word for word quote, but close)

I'm not sure there is need for much comment, just reflection. This is a relevant topic to think upon because the church is the place where people seem to feel judged, and by that I mean Christians seem to be very aware that other Christians are watching and that therefore they have to be very careful who they associate with lest they be thought to be partaking in the sinful lifestyle of the 'others'. Can we please have a discussion about that so that we can get over it? Jesus got accused of all kind of sinful associations and it didn't seem to bother Him. I still let it bother me and affect me, but to the degree that it prevents me from reaching out and making a difference it is wrong. Eternally wrong.