Rust Disease

“What I was saying is that you should not associate with someone who calls himself a brother or sister but lives contrary to all we stand for: committing immoral sexual acts, consumed with desire for more, worshiping tangible lifeless things, using profanity, drinking into oblivion, swindling and cheating others.” (1 Corinthians 5:11 VOICE)

We have four productive apple trees in our backyard.  These trees have given us quality, organic fruit for several years. Thus, when I noticed the rusty spots on the leaves last summer, I didn’t think it would affect the fruit. It did. The apples were all malformed and diseased. After some investigation, I discovered the problem: cedar apple rust disease--a fungal disease that starts off on cedar trees and spreads to nearby apple trees. We had noticed the brown galls (growths) on the cedars, but they didn’t seem to harm those trees at all. The galls did not appear on the apple trees, but the leaves and fruit were severely damaged. We should not have planted cedar trees and apple trees in proximity to each other. Now we have to choose to either cut down the cedars or spray chemicals on the apple trees.

Like trees, people can influence each other in positive or negative ways. The company we keep can determine the quality of our character. A galling trait might not injure the carrier, but it might destroy those around him. At some time or another, we have all knowingly associated with those who are immoral, greedy, materialistic, crude, or  drunk. We may even hang out with swindlers and cheaters, even though we are aware of their history. It might take years for problems to manifest themselves, but sooner or later, we will be corrupted by the rot around us. Thus, choose wisely with whom you associate--surround yourself with those who are honorable, charitable, spiritual, pure, and authentic.