Spotlight 05: When joy is contagious
The "Spotlight" series is intended to shed light on all aspects of our "Joy in Christ". This time it is District Apostle Markus Fehlbaum's turn to take a closer look at our annual motto for 2015. He starts off by asking, "What happens when we share joy with others?"
For me there is a causal relationship between our annual motto for 2015—"Joy in Christ"—and the valuable inspiration we received from our Chief Apostle on Pentecost 2014, namely that "it is more blessed to give than to receive": Giving—out of love for God and our neighbour—unleashes joy. And this same joy finds its way back to the heart of the giver. This confirms the fact that shared joy is double the joy!
Just think about what happens when you visit someone who is sick in the hospital or in a nursing home, for instance. What joy such encounters produce in the hearts of those you visit! And then think about how much joy we feel in our own hearts after having made such a visit.
A few months ago I was able to share in serving a number of children in Romania. They come from difficult family circumstances and were overjoyed to feel the love and care we provided for them in our day care facility. Their eyes simply beam when you talk to them or listen to them. This joy radiates from them—and their joy is contagious! And it gladdens the hearts of all those who care for these children.
Just think about how much joy can be unleashed by a handshake, a hug, a prayer with someone, a loving word, or a flower you give another person! Let us repeatedly make use of the many opportunities we find in order to bring joy to others—and ourselves!
