One of the things that has stuck with me through all of the Galapagos trip is the poison apple tree we saw. I thought about it yesterday again as I spoke to a group of ladies at their Mother's Day Dinner. I was talking about princesses and finding a prince (the Prince of Peace) and told the story of Snow White who takes a bite of a poisoned apple offered by her evil stepmother, the queen. Disney certainly took politically incorrect views of stepmothers back in the day of the early films.Poisoned apples are certainly dangerous whether they be offered by a stepmother casting a spell, inviting a taste as it hangs deliciously on a branch or encouraged to be indulged in by a charming snake. Eve learned a tough lesson in the garden but I can't help but wonder how that lesson served her in raising her children. Was she a more careful mother? Did she take more pains to be sure her children didn't make a similar mistake?
As we got to more public areas of Galapagos, wherever a poison apple tree grew, there were signs posted to warn visitors. You see, if you even touched the leaves you were in danger of getting a rash or worse depending upon your allergic reaction. And eating the apple? Well I don't want to even imagine what may have happened. What if God had put sign up as well as telling Eve? Would it have made a difference? Probably not. He gives us signs and warnings all the time but so often we just plunge ahead anyway. Hopefully when we realize our mistake, our sin, we know to repent, to correct, to take measures to keep from repeating it over again. Maybe even make a sign ourselves to warn us not to indulge in the harmful ways but rather to live in the nourishing fruitful ways He has provided.
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