Traps are Sticky

   Last evening we had our Home Group meeting, and, on a hunch, I threw my camera case into the trunk, just in case. The minute we walked in the front door, our host started talking about this spider that they had seen close to their backyard. After they carefully explained where I might find it, I grabbed the camera and the tripod and went looking.

   I had photographed another of these writing spiders at their place once before, but without the tripod, so I hoped to get a steadier shot even with the zoom lens that I had on the camera at this time.

   After looking around for a few moments, I finally spotted him out over the saw palmetto, close to the marsh. This was the best shot:

   This morning, I thought of this "guy" again, and her trap. One reason given for the white silky threads in her web was so that larger animals and birds would not tear it down accidentally, but it sure would be a sticky mess for me to walk into also.

   I got to thinking about traps that we humans tend to get caught up in sometimes. Not the ones that might make us food for some large spider, but those that can grab us and make us less effective in our lives.

   There is the trap of self-importance. Whether it is from the amount of money that we have or the position that we hold, it is easy to say, "look what I have done" and not say "Thank You God for what You have blessed me with".

   Then there is that trap of what I can do, what I am good at, or how healthy I am. Rightly, I can do a lot of things that help me to do certain activities or live a more healthly life, but ultimately it is God's Will that puts me in the place that I occupy.

   So, I know that there are other traps out there such as disobedience to God's laws and such, sins that can entrap me and lead me astray. You know, like those 10 Commandment sins that are so obvious, but some of these "self" sins can sneak up on a person and make them all sticky, too.

   Just as this writing spider makes a web that we can see and stay out of, so God gives us His Word as a guide to keeping clean.

   God, let me see clearly where those traps are and how to stay out of them.

   Pay attention to where you walk, traps are lurking.