It looks like fall in both my front and back yard with all the leaves on my five maple trees drying up and floating to the ground. Apparently, New York State is plagued by a fungus which doesn’t kill the trees, but certainly ruins their beauty and causes the leaves to literally look like there are tar spots on them and they dry up and fall from the trees. The red maples seem to take a little longer before they start falling, but they, too, have tar spots on them.

A healthy maple looks beautiful, as does a “healthy Christian” who is walking in close fellowship with God. Unfortunately, if that one isn’t careful, the ugly “fungus of sin” can creep into their life and “tar spots” become evident. These tar spots can show up in many different forms: frowns of worry or anger, an unforgiving spirit, hatred, jealousy, envy, argumentative spirit, ungratefulness, lying, cheating, gossip, greediness, and the list goes on. And when one “tar spot” shows up it can often spread and cause another.

There is a treatment for tar spots, but on a mature maple it’s almost impossible; as every leaf needs to be treated! I’m so glad Jesus Christ doesn’t ask us to do certain works to be forgiven, but He always stands ready; waiting for us to ask (with a repentant heart) for His forgiveness.

I don’t want my life to be tainted with a “fungus of sin,” do you? I don’t want a ruined testimony (because of that fungus) to keep people from seeing Christ in me, do you?

If you are a child of God, as I am, let’s be on guard for any kind of a “fungus of sin” growing in our life and treat it immediately for what it is – SIN – and get rid of it!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

The only thing we should spread across our state, our community, our world, is the love of God and how He can affect lives for eternity.