The Case of the Persistent Spider

For the last few weeks, I’ve been fascinated by the perseverance of a spider. Where? On my car! This little spider lives in the housing of the driver’s side mirror. It spins a web between that outside mirror and the door, especially the door handle since the surface of the door is so smooth.

The first time I noticed it, I dismissed it. “As soon as I drive the car, the wind will blow it away,” I thought.

But no, day after day it reappeared to either repair or strengthen it’s web. Fascinated by its persistence, I didn’t have the heart to destroy the web and chase away the spider. I wondered how long this would go on.

Last weekend we drove 250 kilometres or so at speeds around 100 kph. “So much for the spider,” I ruminated.

We returned home, parked the car, and went to bed. The next day we went out for groceries. What did I see but my nemesis? The spider, fatter than ever off insects it had caught was still there strengthening and elaborating its web. As soon as we drove off, it disappeared to shelter in the mirror housing only to reappear when we stopped.

Lord, if one of your little spiders can exhibit such perseverance, why am I so frequently tempted to give up? When the regimen of exercises given by my therapist seem so boring and routine? When there seems to be so little change in mobility? When collapsing on the couch and reading an exciting novel seems so much more attractive than studying something edifying? When eating out at a fast food restaurant is easier than preparing a healthy meal at home?

And what about my walk, Lord? Do I need to concern myself overly about keeping up daily prayer, daily Bible reading, meeting with your people, and trying to serve? After all you have called us into freedom and not legalism. No one will know my quiet time nor if we cut back on our giving. Do I really need to keep on walking by faith and exercising integrity? How about if I just go with the flow for a day or a week or two?

But then I hear the whisper from your Word; “perseverance produces character and character hope,” “run with perseverance the race marked out for you,” and “the testing of your faith develops perseverance”(Rom. 5:4; Heb. 12:1; James 1:3). Okay, thanks Lord for sending the spider.

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