Spiders Bite!

Last week I was bitten by a spider while I slept. Brown, black, green, orange, I don’t know what kind of spider but I learned a very valuable lesson.  Now I could tell you the lesson “I learned” but I’m going to let you decide for yourself.

I got bitten on Tuesday night while sleeping and woke to a little irritation on my left forearm. Putting it off as just getting older pain, I left it alone. That evening I noticed it again, now it was a lump with a white head. Kind of like the ones you get from an ant bite…only bigger.

To make a long story… not so gross and shorter, it grew out of proportion from that point. On Sunday…yes I waited till Sunday, I went to the Doctor to have the abscess removed. Probably the most painful night I have ever endured. As I lay awake, in pain, all I could do was think about the spider. How such a little creature could spread so much pain. It was just a little bite or maybe a nibble, not even large enough for the eye to see…at first. It hurt though. I realized, by not paying attention to the small details it lead me to fall into greater pain and misery.

We can compare this to our Christian walk. We need to pay attention to the small details or temptations as they may lead us to fall to greater temptations. These temptations may not grow as fast as my abscess did but eventually they will. In fact, these temptations can bring others to peril.

We need to be mindful of who we are and who we belong to. We are Gods own dear children and as such we are enemies to the devil who wishes to ensnare us.

A spider will make a web and when he catches a small insect, will let it live. This is so to attract larger insects into the web. Much like when we go fishing, we use little fish to catch big fish. Satan will let a few of us get caught up into temptation and let us live there seemingly unharmed in the hope that he might draw others into greater peril.

We all share this same struggle to live our lives for God and to struggle against the spiders and things that bite in the dark. How easy is it to let our guard down to become wounded and weary from the battle? Just as the spider left a barely perceptible mark or wound on my arm… I never saw the spider. Satan lies in hiding seemingly out of sight waiting to sink his fangs in us!

We’re not unarmed; God has given us the tools to fight.

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

These temptations or spider bites may be common to us all and they can and will happen. What I should have done from the beginning though, is let Doctor God lance at the heads of my temptation and drain away the impure things. Then accept the antibiotics God gives us all freely so we may remove the infestation and heal.