The United States is in the midst of its largest recorded Cyclospora outbreak. The Cyclospora parasite, which causes cyclosporiasis, has been found in raspberries, salad mix, and cilantro in past outbreaks. Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce was recently identified as a potential culprit.
The lettuce was served at Taco Bell in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The same lettuce, sold at grocers and restaurants across the country, has been recalled in 27 states. The CDC is also investigating other Cyclospora outbreaks unrelated to Taylor Farms lettuce.
Cyclosporiasis symptoms include profuse diarrhea, loss of appetite, bloating, cramping, nausea, fatigue, and weight loss—all things we’d rather avoid, except for maybe weight loss. But it’s doubtful that a bout of cyclosporiasis is what comes to mind when considering a weight-loss program.
The CDC reports “1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis.” Of the thirty-four states that have reported cases, Michigan far exceeds all others with 4,312 cases. Ohio comes in second with 1,274 cases.
With treatment, most people feel better within a few days. Without treatment, cyclosporiasis can last several weeks in some people. Though severely unpleasant, the illness is generally not life-threatening.
Considering the current numbers and the fact that we live in a nation of approximately 340 million citizens, your chance of personally contracting cyclosporiasis is incredibly slim. Steer clear of the foods historically known to transmit the parasite, and your risk is next to none.
There are actually much worse things lurking in unsuspecting places put there by someone who wants to kill you. Let’s talk about that.
Food that Kills
Foodborne pathogens can certainly cause serious illnesses. That’s why it’s good practice to carefully wash and properly cook our food before consuming it. But washing produce does not reliably eliminate or kill Cyclospora. Cooking, on the other hand, does kill the parasite. So if you are wary of that bag of spinach sitting in your fridge, sauté it instead of mixing it into a salad.
Ironically, while we worry whether a bag of greens is hiding a parasite that will make us sick, we are often less concerned about our spiritual health.
Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). It’s worth the effort to carefully select the content that you and your family consume.
Jesus continued, “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (v. 23).
Think about that for a moment. Allowing the wrong media into the mind can fill the soul with darkness!
That’s exactly what Satan wants. Scripture says he “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Like Cyclospora, he’s a parasite with no interest in your welfare. His modus operandi is “to kill, and to steal, and to destroy” (John 10:10), and his parasitic tentacles corrupt just about everything on this planet.
And because the devil disguises himself as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), his deadly pathogens are packaged together with what appears to be healthy content, just like a plastic clamshell of raspberries harboring matter infested with Cyclospora.
Deadly pathogens are packaged together with what appears to be healthy content.
Take, for example, those “family friendly” movies being pumped out of Hollywood. Sure, they often feature cute, lovable characters and a moral lesson. But at the same time, they tend to minimize sin and encourage a “follow your heart” attitude. Furthermore, so-called “adult themes” are frequently subtly incorporated into the films in the form of racy jokes and innuendo.
The Bible says, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool” (Proverbs 28:26) and, instead, encourages us to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
With Bible in hand, we must “test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22). This is not always easy, but it’s necessary to guard our souls and our children’s souls from the enemy’s hidden pathogens.
Incubating Compromises
Cyclosporiasis can have an incubation period of up to two weeks. That makes it difficult to find the source of an outbreak. A person may be able to remember their last few meals, but recounting everything they’ve eaten over the course of two weeks isn’t feasible. They end up sick with cyclosporiasis but unable to know when or from what they contracted the illness.
Media laced with anti-biblical philosophies act on our thinking in a similar fashion. Consider the philosophy of humanism so prevalent in many movies. Humanism emphasizes the innate goodness and potential of human beings. It prioritizes reason, science, and human experience over religion while also encouraging compassion and ethical responsibility.
Humanism aspires to some good things, but its fatal flaw is that it directs attention away from God to ourselves, making us the heroes of the story. Such a philosophy suggests we don’t need a Savior, denying the truth that all must acknowledge to be saved: “I know that in me … nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18).
Satan wants us to believe that we can feed on worldly media and be blessed by the “good” aspects while overlooking the less savory elements. It’s naive to think that we can do this and go unscathed. It also shouldn’t surprise us when Christians who fall for this lie find themselves far from God and without faith after years of negligence. Thus, the incubation period has ended, and the parasites have multiplied, causing a full-blown illness (Galatians 6:7).
A Sanctifying Microscope
Ask yourself, “Are there ‘parasites’ in the books I read, the videos I view, the music I listen to? Has the devil fooled me? Have I been infected?”
You may already be aware of some of the devil’s schemes. But it’s impossible to snuff them all out without help. And thankfully, God has given us just the instrument to assist us; it’s a heavenly microscope to home in on and eradicate all harmful bacteria—the Word of God.
God’s Word sanctifies the mind, purifies the soul, and sharpens spiritual discernment (John 17:17; Romans 12:2; Hebrews 5:13, 14). Take the time today and every day to feast on “the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15).
Satan’s Cyclospora cannot hide from a mind fortified with the Word of God. Learn more about detecting the devil’s deadly deceptions.
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