By Karen O’Connor:
Ground level poison ivy in Perrot State Park, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
I went on a hike in the woods this week with a group of friends. As we negotiated the trails I noticed large clumps of beautiful red leaves on scrawny twigs on either side of the paths. Some of them were so full and lush, they had spread to the trunk of a tree and were climbing to the top.
“Watch out for the poison ivy,” someone shouted. “You don’t want to mess with it, believe me.”
As I walked more carefully, it hit me that I was finding God while avoiding poison ivy. This beguiling plant reminded me of the presence of temptations in our lives. They flag our attention with their good looks and intriguing promises for pleasure and happiness—but the moment we give in to alcohol abuse or drugs or pornography or adultery, they spew their poison and we have to work hard to disentangle ourselves.
It makes more sense to stay away from such poison to start with. But when we’re feeling lonely or hurt or depressed or bored, it’s easy to leave the trail and take a chance on what appears to be harmless. So what can we do when temptations call us to the sidelines?
The Bible tells us:
We have a great high priest who has gone to live with God in heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us continue to express our faith in him. Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned (Hebrews 4:14-15).
And now he can help those who are tempted. He is able to help because he himself suffered and was tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
Finding God while avoiding poison ivy was the best part of my hike. It brought me to my senses and reminded me to turn to God when I am tempted to stray from the path.
View this informative YouTube video on how to treat poison ivy—if you come in contact with it.
©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com, on Facebook, or follow on Twitter: @karenoconnor
This article is interesting and an unexpected analogy to finding God while avoiding poison ivy (I would add poison oak, as well). The video contains good information about treating exposure to poison, as well as the actual eruption of poison ivy or poison oak.
I would add a couple of ideas which have come to me during my own experience. After my boys went hiking or playing in the areas where poison oak was common, I always had them take their clothes off in the garage near the washing machine before they came in the house to bathe. As they took their jeans off, they pulled them down in a manner that turned them inside out. When I was ready to wash them, I would turn their pants right outside our before I put them in the washing machine. Intermittently, I had a poison oaks type blistery rash at my wrist and forearm and finally make the determination that I was getting the oil of the plant on my arm when turning jeans rightside out.
Additionally, animals or other objects than the actual plant can transmit poison ivy or oak. When they brush up against it, they can also pick up the oil onto their fur and subsequently transmit it to a human being. It doesn’t matter how long the inanimate object, such as clothing, or animals have gone since contact with the poisonous plant, the oil can still be transmitted to humans until well cleaned or washed. One of the best agents to wash with, is Fels Namptha soap. In laundering or bathing, this soap removes the oil of the plant in a manner that is more effective than other soaps.
One of my worse poison oak episodes was when I helped clean up the garden of friends in one of the Santa Barbara canyons after a serious fire that burned most of the surrounding houses and properties, but missed the homr of our friend. When I discovered I was working in and around poison oak, I immediately went inside to take a shower and wash off my skin. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a change of clothes, so I put back on my clothes that I had been gardening in. About two days later, I developed severe poison oak that required a cortisone injection due to the extent of the outbreak on many parts of my body.