Do you know why we’re supposed to wash our hands? Of course you do! It’s all about the germs!

But people didn’t always know about germs. They assumed sickness was brought about by evil spirits. So they pooped wherever they were standing and never washed.

I can’t blame anyone for not knowing about germs. Those things are tiny! You can be up to your armpits in germs and never know it. When Antony Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hook discovered that bacteria are real things, it blew a lot of people’s minds. It took awhile before people believed that they weren’t crazy.

Before sterilization methods were developed, people tried lots of crazy things to cure diseases. They bored holes in people’s heads to release the evil spirits. They covered folks with leeches. They filled rooms with the smoke from burning sulfur. Thankfully, we know about germs now.

Experience has taught me that when we Christians communicate with each other, we’re still attaching leeches and burning sulfur. That’s not our fault. Nobody told us about the germs. We’re up to our armpits in microbes that we don’t know are the cause of our toxic conversations.

“Un-Specified-acillus” is a virus that prevents you from speaking directly. When this gets in your blood, your speech patterns leave room for contradictory interpretation. You’ll prioritize niceness above truth. You will believe, sincerely, that you’re communicating with clarity and compassion. In reality, nobody understands what you’re talking about.

“Never-Talk-Publicly-acillus” is the scientific term for one of the most lethal germs you’re carrying. It causes you to prefer secret conversations over public dialogue. In church culture, this germ is frequently mistaken for humble discretion. It makes you paranoid of allowing other people to interact with you so that others can see, hear…and judge. You prefer the safety of whispering to one or two people which you call, “Keeping The Peace.”

“Fear-of-Foolishness-acillus” makes its home in every human being on the day they understand humiliation. It affects your nervous system causing you to act like the universe is collapsing whenever you make a mistake. This germ will prevent you from communicating with anyone who doesn’t share your opinions. To avoid feeling “dumb”, you’ll only express your views when it’s certain they won’t receive criticism. (This bug often leads to contracting Never-Talk-Publicly-acillus.)

The good news, now that you know about these germs you can start washing your hands! You can sanitize your thinking (sometimes called renewing your mind) and purge the toxins from your system. Here’s how to do that:

• Say exactly what you mean.
• Speak publicly so you’ll benefit from other points of view.
• Speak publicly so others will benefit from your point of view.
• Notice that the universe doesn’t collapse when you’re wrong.
• Laugh at yourself.

Ignorance is not a character flaw. We didn’t know we were covered in germs until somebody told us. We don’t know we’re lousy communicators until somebody tells us. Please don’t bore a hole in my head or fill my house with burning sulfur.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible.

Ephesians 5:11