Nature: God's Second Book: A Hidden Kingdom

I am in no way a fungi expert, but after walking through my yard and finding a variety of mushrooms (a type of fungus), I decided to spend a few minutes educating myself. The first thing I learned was that all mushrooms are fungi, but not all fungi are mushrooms. Mushrooms are part of the kingdom Fungi which also includes yeasts, molds, mildews, rusts, smuts, and toadstools.

I also learned that a mushroom (the part of the fungus that we see) is only the "fruit" of the organism. The living body of the fungus is made up of tiny threads called hyphae that spread out in all directions beneath the surface. That means that most of the fungus is out of sight, hidden underground or beneath whatever it is growing on (moldy bread, rotting fruit, decomposing log...). Now I understand why I was told to throw out the whole loaf of bread if I found a few pieces with mold on them... I saw the visible part of the mold, not the fungus spreading its tiny threads throughout the rest of the bread. Gross!!

Sarcoscypha occidentalis (Stalked scarlet cup)

Having said that, there are some benefits to certain fungi in our environment:
- They break down debris and make nutrients more accessible to plant life
- They help decompose organic matter
- They provide numerous drugs (such as penicillin)
- They provide food for humans and animals
- They are essential in making bread rise
- They help in the making of certain types of cheeses, wines, and soy sauce

And of course, there are some detriments as well:
- They can cause diseases in animals and humans (yes, athlete's foot is a fungus)
- They can damage plants

- They can damage stored grains, fruit and vegetables
- They can be poisonous and kill

most likely of the Lepiota family

Thinking about fungi reminded me of some of the Levitical laws concerning mildews and molds (both of which are types of fungi). The Bible mentions strict regulations about what to do with moldy clothing or mold in a house. The people were to completely destroy that which had been contaminated with persistent mold or mildew (Leviticus 13-14). Knowing now that fungus spreads beneath the surface, I can better understand why merely wiping away the spot or cutting out a small area would not get rid of the mold. Is that not the same way with sin? Sin is like a fungus that can spread beneath the surface and cause much destruction, sickness, and even death.

Cyathus striatus (Bird's nest fungus)

But there is blessed hope: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to FORGIVE us our sins and to CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). God can help us eradicate the fungus of sin in our lives!