Something I Learned from a Bee Sting

Tuesday morning - Poor girl

Rachel has had a bit of an adventure this week. On Monday on the playground at school, a bee stung her on the side of the face near her eye. They took care of her at school, of course, and gave her a cold pack to put on the site of the sting. It didn't look too bad when she went to bed, although she did complain of her face feeling strange.

Something happened overnight, though. When she woke up, her right eye was swollen completely shut. I gave her a cool compress to put on her eye. I was so thankful that my parents are nearby. Mom took care of her while I went to work, and took her to the doctor. Benadryl and ice was the prescription.

Wednesday night - looking better.

At home later that night, I got online and read up on what could have been done for a bee sting. I learned a few things, both from the research and from the doctor.

1. Her eye became so swollen because in that location, there is not much flesh to absorb the venom. A sting on the leg would not swell nearly as much.
2. It is important to remove the stinger as quickly as possible, The longer the stinger remains in the victim's body, the more venom is released.
3. Early treatment with antihistamines and ice can help prevent some of the swelling.

If you've read my blog very much, you know that I often look for parallels between everyday life and spiritual truth. I see a few parallels here between bee stings and attacks of the enemy..

1. 

   This photo, although taken some time ago,
    is more what her eye looks like now.
   I forgot to get a photo tonight.

   
   

   
   

   Satan will always attack us at our most vulnerable point. If he were to attack at a point of strength, the effect would be minimal. But an attack at a point of vulnerability can have a much more severe result. This is why beekeepers wear protective clothing. This is why we need our spiritual armor to protect our vulnerable spots.
2. When we are "stung" by Satan and give in to temptation, it is important to quickly remove the "stinger". This is confession. When we quickly confess our wrong, the "stinger" of sin is removed. If we refuse to confess the wrong, the "stinger" remains, allowing the poison to spread and cause greater damage.
3. Once the "stinger" is removed, we need to take active steps to right the wrong that was done. Restoration, restitution, refocusing. All these things and more act as spiritual "antihistamines". They may come into play to reduce the damage and return us to health.

I am happy to say that Rachel's eye is pretty much back to normal now. I am also thankful for the little lesson I learned from a bee sting.

Counterfeit Peace

Snakefruit (or salak) is rough and scaly on the outside. But if you work through to the inside of a ripe fruit, the flesh has an interesting, tangy taste that admittedly not everyone appreciates. I have discovered, though that snakefruit makes an absolutely delicious substitution for apples in a pie if you cook them slightly first. Like seeking peace in the midst of difficult relationships, the outcome is well worth the effort.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(Galatians 5:22-23)

May I ask you a question? Yes? OK. Now, please take time to answer it to yourself before reading on.

What characterizes your life when peace is lacking?

Do you have an answer? Most likely, your first thoughts contained words like “frantic, turmoil, tension, fighting, shouting, indigestion”. When we think of a life lacking in peace, we often think in opposites. Things that are so different that there is no doubt peace is lacking.

In this series, we are not looking at the easily recognizable opposites to each of the fruits of the Spirit. We are looking at the counterfeits to the “real deal” spiritual fruit that the world...or Satan...tries to pass off as genuine.

"Let Us Go With You"

Early last month, I had to make a trip to Singapore. I got out my smallest suitcase and began packing.  Rachel removed the things I had already put in and climbed into the suitcase herself. 

"Mommy, let me go with you," she said. "When can I ever go to Singapore?" Needless to say, Rachel knows she cannot possibly pack herself in my suitcase and go along. She just wanted to be with her Mom.

Her words, though, remind me of a verse in Zechariah that leapt off the page at me a number of years ago.

In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.  (Zechariah 8:23b NASB)