This vs That

“You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” – Matthew 12:34-35

Some things are learned late in life. For me one of those things was from a forum for Creatures of Belize, when a question was asked about whether a particular snake was poisonous or not. In a mildly scolding response, the forum’s resident snake authority schooled everyone on the difference between poisonous and venomous: snakes and spiders can be venomous – they deliver a toxic response. Plants can be poisonous – you acquire a toxic response (along with some species of frogs). The primary difference, at least in my mind, is the recipient’s participation. I need to direct an interaction with something that is poisonous: brush against poison ivy, lick a poison frog. Venomous entities can take the initiative against me: snake bite even when I’m backing away and have not touched the snake. I can actually touch something venomous and unless it takes action, I can remain unhurt. Not so with poisonous entities.

It is often difficult, especially with poisonous things, to determine they are to be avoided. I still struggle to identify poisonous sumac or poison ivy. Clearly not enough time in the woods. I just avoid – actively – all snake-like creatures with the exception of perhaps worms.

People can also be poisonous and/or venomous. In Matthew, Jesus ties actions, behaviors, words, to what is stored up in our hearts. It is often difficult to determine what is stored up on someone’s heart, to determine if exposure to them will poison us or if they will just strike and bite. Or to determine there is no danger in getting close.

And yet we often do not have a choice. Family members, co-workers, customers. Sometimes the best we can do is be wary and limit either the opportunity or the dosage.

What we can do, however, is to examine what is stored up in our own hearts. We can make sure we are not poisonous or venomous to others. Store up good in our hearts, even in the presence of vipers and poison ivy.