and the One who walks with me on it.

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

An Unwelcome Reunion



       I met up with an old acquaintance this past weekend at the campground- one I was not pleased to see.  If I get too close to her she strikes out at me with a vengeance like there is bad blood between us, yet I’ve done nothing to deserve her acerbic temperament.  Once more she decided to torment me with lingering distress.  Normally I get along with all those I meet, but not this one; I fully admit to having a huge dislike of her.  She’s like the old adversary of Batman, you know, the one who wore green leaves and called herself Poison Ivy. 

       Oh, wait… that’s her actual name!  Her leaves of three simply don’t agree with me… ever.  The problem is I didn’t really know what she looked like until this weekend, and though others claimed it was not her, after the telltale rash with itch appeared around my ankles with a few scattered on my legs, I knew she had attacked me once again.  (Now armed with the knowledge of her appearance, I hope to avoid her touch completely.The funny thing is that after researching remedies to help with the intense itch I have discovered some interesting facts:

   -The rash is called "urushiol-induced contact dermatitis"; urushiol being the chemical released by all parts of the plant and which people consider poisonous.

   -The oil is not actually poisonous at all.  The problem lies with us.  Fifty to eighty-five percent of us are allergic to the chemical and therefore react to it (usually by itchy and/or painful rash).

   -You can get the telltale rash by touching the plant or touching something that has touched the plant (for up to 7 years).  This means it can be transferred from one person to another by clothes or skin. It is particularly dangerous if inhaling the smoke from burning it.

   -Spots that come out later haven’t spread from scratching or such (the oil is already absorbed), but previous contact with the oils took longer to rash out or newer exposure from oil transferred.

       So, what have I learned from this experience?  Wear protective clothing in setting up camping gear and then bag it all to wash in hot water.  Wash with hot soapy water to get off any urishiol oils on my skin within 5 minutes of possible contact.  Treat it like the plague and avoid the wretched leaves of three (the middle stem is longer).  Hopefully I will never get it again.

       I think the same rules would apply well in the area of sin.  Wear protective clothing while in the world (Ep. 6:11-18).  It isn’t that we shouldn’t be there, but keep the ungodly oils from penetrating our skin.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…” (Rm. 12:2).  Once tainted by sin, wash with hot soapy water- Jesus, the Living Water- for the blood of Jesus is the only thing that can wash away our sins.  “…the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1Jh. 1:7) and we can go to Him to confess our sins and receive forgiveness (v.9).

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       But of course, the best thing to do is avoid sin like the plague- just don’t go near it to start with.  Recognize it for what it is- bondage* and death*- and then stay away from it.  Abstain from every appearance of evil.(1Th. 5:22) No matter how good it feels at the time, or if it feels indifferent, the touching of sin leaves lasting repercussions that could cause us much grief.  We should avoid it just like the plague… or poison ivy! (Rm. 13:14; 1Cr. 6:18; 10:14; 2Tm. 2:22; Hb. 12:1; Gl. 5:16)




*Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin. Jh. 8:34
*when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death. Jm. 1:15