When we first moved to Brazil, last year, I wouldn’t say that I had a phobia about spiders... I just didn’t like them. It was like they were in and on everything. I mean, they’re everywhere. Big ones, small ones, black ones, brown ones, skinny ones, fat ones, hairy ones, scary ones (sounds like a Dr. Suess book, haha), ones that liked to hide and even ones that would jump on you as yo were just minding your own business (what’s up with that?). And the fact that they can bite you and (at the very least) it hurts and leaves a mark (worst case, you die) makes me not like them all-the-more. But now that we’ve been here a while it’s like I really don’t get freaked-out about them anymore. Just the other day Maryssa called me from upstairs and said, “there’s a big spider just walking around up here.” So I casually strolled upstairs with a broom (really manly, I know... and no I wasn’t wearing an apron too, haha) and I smashed it. Actually I hit it so hard that the broom literally exploded and I was left holding a small portion of what was once the broom handle... it was weird. But then I just walked back down stairs like nothing happened, like business as usual. In the past I would have made a huge deal about a spider that big in the house. I would have called everyone over to look at the carcass so that they could marvel at the fact that Dad had saved them from the ferocious beast. Kinda like some type of medieval dragon slayer that just saved the village or something. But not this time. I guess we’re just use to it now. Then that same night we were sitting at the kitchen table and someone else said, “Dad look, there’s a big spider on the wall.” When I looked, sure enough another tarantula just walking across our kitchen wall. So I grabbed what remained of the broom and killed it and then threw the remains out the window. (side note: one of my sons said, “Dad you should have caught it and put it outside because it eats other bugs... seriously? Did he actually say that? Whatever son. That’s not even an option in my mind because the best spider is a dead spider.) Anyway, after I killed that one (just like the one earlier in the day) we all just casually went back to what we were doing. No examination of the body, no marveling at how big this thing was, nothing. Just back to what we were doing... business as usual.
Later on, when I was reflecting on the day, I started thinking about the spiders I had killed and how I’m really not trippin’ anymore when it comes to having them around all the time. It’s like I had become desensitized to the fact that these little nasty, mean creatures were all around me (most of which I never even see). And that really doesn’t effect me anymore. It’s weird... only after being here 4 months I had already gotten use to the fact that I’m basically “rooming with arachnids” (that sounds like a new TV series on The Discovery Channel, haha!).
But it’s pretty much the same with every area of our lives. We’re around stuff so much that it becomes familiar and common. And the one thing I’ve noticed is that can really be a negative thing when we allow familiarity to creep in when it comes to spiritual stuff. Like knowing Jesus, for instance. It’s seems like the longer we walk with Him the more we have to fight against familiarity. He’s the God of the universe and I have an actual relationship with Him and not only does He care about me... He wants to be in a “personal relationship” with me where we communicate with each other every day. The fact that, that doesn’t blow me away shows me that I’ve become familiar with it (my relationship with God, that is.). Sure I love Him and I’m following Him but I want it to be different. And that’s something I want to change this year. I want to be re-amazed that God loves me and that He’s my Heavenly Father. Me. Sinful, broken me. Because if that was more of a reality to me, it would be evident in every area of my life (mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually).
And my prayer for you is that you’ll be re-amazed at the fact that a Omniscient, Omni-present, Holy, All-Powerful, Creator of Everything-God sees and loves you more than you could ever imagine. Really, He does. And that should never be just a business-as-usual revelation to us. Just something to think about: )
Killin’ Spiders for Jesus,
Jim
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