Poison Ivy, Bed Bugs and Our Walk with God

Two stories in the local paper today caught my attention. The first was a story about the rise of poison ivy cases here in Lancaster County. It seems that doctors and health care workers are seeing a significant increase this year in the numbers of people they are treating for this nuisance. Experts are offering numerous factors behind the increase. But no matter the reasons, since 85% of us are sensitive to the resin found in poison ivy, here's the bottom line: "Leaves of three, let it be!" (or pay the price which won't be nice!).

The second story detailed New York City's recently declared war on bed bugs! As a result of a recent survey of NYC residents, one out of every 15 New Yorker admitted to battling bed bugs last year. In raw numbers that's about 400,000 people! Ouch! And these nasty little critters, whose nocturnal biting leaves itchy red welts, are showing up in all sorts of places: hotel rooms, theaters, clothing stores, office buildings, housing projects and luxury apartments. As a result, officials in the the Big Apple have announced a plan to fight the spread of these little insects. That's good, because I would hate to bring any of these unwanted creatures home with me after my next NYC visit!

As nasty as poison ivy and bed bugs can be (from personal experience I can only vouch for the former!) - there are other things against which we need to be "waging war!" I am thinking of what the Apostle Paul urges us to do in Colossians 3:5-10.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. ⁷You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

Note the things that he tells us that we must "put to death" (strong words, yes?). Take a moment and look over this list. Then take out an ax and begin to "put to death" the items on Paul's list that you see in your life. Do so ... or pay the regretable price that sin brings!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj