In, But Not Of, The World

A few days ago, I walked into our storage garage and unexpectedly hit a spider web. Instinctively, I backed up, frantically swatting my face and hair to remove the sticky strands. Even minutes later, I kept checking to ensure no spiders were crawling on me.

Then I wondered, “Why do those webs stick to me, yet the spider glides across them effortlessly?” It turns out that spiders are meticulous in their movements. Only the tips of their legs touch the web, and those tips are covered with tiny hair-like structures that reduce contact. Additionally, a non-stick chemical, similar to Teflon, coats their legs, preventing them from getting caught in their own webs.

It’s fascinating how the Creator designed them to be ON the web but not caught BY it. Perhaps Jesus had something similar in mind when He said, “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.” (John 17:16).

How do we live in the world but not be ensnared by it? “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16). The Holy Spirit is like a divine non-stick coating, enabling us to live in this culture without becoming like it.

Think about that the next time you wipe a spider web from your face.

Duke Stone
After 40 years in full-time ministry, I try to see how the little things in life speak big things about God. This blog is an attempt to share with you the many ways I see the love of God in the ordinary things of life.