I just returned from a 10-day excursion to Costa Rica on Thursday. And tempted though I might be to share slides with you, this morning, you can breath a sigh of relief to hear that the photos haven’t been developed yet. I will share, though, that on one of our adventures we were white water rafting down the Saquarri River. And during some of the slower sections of the trip we could enjoy examining some of the plant and animal life along the banks of the river. Some of the trees were enormous and remarkable. I say remarkable because in that tropical region plants, birds and animals alike make their homes on the larger trees. One tree, the guide pointed out, was home to not less than 30 other plants of all shapes and sizes. As I examined it, I spotted dozens of different kinds of insects and butterflies, various different types of birds, and a troop of monkeys. That tree and the ones like it are micro ecosystems all to themselves, which support, sustain, and provide hospitable habitat for other creatures to live.

That’s what I understand to have been part of Jesus’ point, in this morning’s Gospel reading, when as He so often did, He put words to the nature of the Kingdom of God that people could grasp. The Kingdom of Heaven is something like the environment – the ecosystem – of God’s provision, God’s spiritual resources, and God’s leadership in this world. The Celtic Christians had the idea that Heaven and Earth coexist at the same place and time – simply in different dimensions – though they wouldn’t have used those words to describe it. They believed that there were what they called thin places – sacred places – places in which people could sense the presence of God and of the dimension of Heaven. Hebrews had a similar concept, though it was more based on places where at one time or another this or that person encountered God in a special way. That’s where individuals like Abraham or Jacob and others piled stones, which they called altars, to mark the spot and memorialize the encounter and what it meant to them. Whether you call it a thin place, which needs no marker because people feel God’s presence in a location because of its ambient impressions, or you mark it with an altar to remember what happened there, such places are outcroppings of the spiritual realm of Heaven – of God’s undiluted presence. When you encounter it you know it. You’re smitten with it. And that experience is meant to grow – like a seed – into a spiritual ecosystem that provides resources, sustenance, and habitat in which for us to take root and thrive. Jesus used 5 similes in rapid succession to describe some of the qualities of the Kingdom. He said, “It’s like a mustard seed.” It grows from a tiny seed into a massive tree that provides habitat. The Kingdom is a living, growing, spiritual habitat for us. He said, “It’s like yeast.” The Kingdom expands within a person and among people. He said, “It’s like a treasure discovered.” Like winning the lottery or falling in love, the Kingdom eclipses everything else with the joy of it. He said, “It’s like locating a one-of-a-kind pearl.” The Kingdom is so valuable – so priceless – that it compels trading everything else for it. He said, “It’s like a fishing net.” The Kingdom captivates those who happen into it. The Kingdom excludes no one who roost in it, receive it, spot it, happen upon it, catch it, or are snagged and captivated by it. It has a life of its own -- roots, grows, expands, and creates an ecosystem for others. In that sense the Kingdom of Heaven – God’s Kingdom – has the power or the effect of turning people into thin places, where God’s presence within is less diluted, less obscured, than it normally is in the world. Once God’s Kingdom roots, grows, strengths and expands within or among us others might actually be able to sense or experience God’s presence in our presence, and that makes it infectious.

I do believe that if they knew about viruses back in Jesus’ time, He’d also have said, “The Kingdom is like a virus – a magnificent and glorious virus.” It grows within and creates symptoms, which when others come in contact with it they’ll notice and catch so that it’ll do the same to them, and so on and so forth.

People like us, who catch the Kingdom from trusting and following Jesus and from the force of His Spirit within us, are intended to be infectious. We’re meant to catch God’s Kingdom from Christ, manifest its symptoms, and pass it on to others by contact. Thankfully, it’s the Spirit who’s responsible to do the spreading, and, ironically the harder we try to spread it to others the more intense we tend to become and the more others back away to avoid us. And yet we’re the ones whose symptoms are meant to attract and be transmitted to others so that the Kingdom will continue to spread. We’re intended by our Lord to be infectious Christians.

The symptoms of infectious Christians are attracting and not repelling. Infectious Christians aren’t moralizing, judging, controlling, rigid, or intense. Infectious Christians give others a sense of God’s presence – like a compelling view in nature. Infectious Christians convey a sense of peace – of harmony with God, themselves and others – even under stress or in the face of adversity. Infectious Christians convey a sense of grace – or acceptance, forgiveness, dignity, balance and compassion. Infectious Christians convey a sense of love – not pushy, critical, or demanding. They’re thoughtful of the sensibilities of others. They’re willing to go out of their way to make time for others and to pitch in and help them out when they need it and give their permission. Infectious Christians probably aren’t syrupy sweet about it, but are genuinely friendly, interested in others, and listen to them. Infectious Christians are concerned for justice and compassion, but aren’t strident. They’re upright, honest and have integrity, but not moralistic. Infectious Christians enjoy life without being self-indulgent. Infectious Christians are real – not so heavenly-minded that they’re no earthly good. Infectious Christians are spiritual without being sanctimonious. They share their faith in casual ways and pray earnestly without getting in other people’s faces about it. Infectious Christians serve without expecting anything in return – including credit. Infectious Christians are at ease in their friendship with their Lord and other people. Infectious Christians are at ease with the Spirit and in awe of God.

Just think about what attracts you to God and what you enjoy in others, and live it. It’s what the Spirit uses to spread the Kingdom to others, and it’s infectious.