Placing Our Trust in Spiders’ Webs?

One of the most disconcerting experiences in life – at least for me – is walking into a spider’s web, especially when you realize the spider is still in the middle of it. I have danced a few frantic jigs desperately trying to rid myself of both the web and its designer.

 

But there’s a common fact about spiders’ webs: They’re fragile. The spider might think they’re strong enough, good for catching things like flies and moths, delicacies at Cafe la Spider. But one swat with a broom and a spiderweb is history. This is a metaphor for how some folks construct their lives around pretty flimsy stuff.

The Bible’s book of Job points this out. It tells the story of a faithful fellow named Job, going about life without causing any harm to anyone. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, he goes through a series of personal calamities, losing property, livestock, servants and children, and then suffering severe physical affliction. Job must have felt like a guy who’s been struck by lightning several times.

 

After these tragedies, several of Job’s friends arrive to console him. They sit with him silently at first, trying to show compassion by their presence. But unable to contain themselves any longer, they start offering some wise-sounding explanations for their buddy’s travails. 

 

Even though some of what Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar say is true, their assumptions are erroneous. Responding to the eternal question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” they share the perspective that when bad things happen, it’s because the victims have brought the misfortune onto themselves. That’s not the message of the Old Testament book.

One of the statements by Bildad the Shuhite stands out for me, which brings us back to the topic of spiders’ webs. In Job 8:13-14, Bildad says, “Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spider’s web. He leans on his web, but it gives way; he clings to it, but it does not hold.” 

 

While wrongly concluding Job’s adversities were the consequence of abandoning God, Bildad’s observations about the web’s fragility are spot-on. And its truth rings true to this day. Living in a material world, it’s so easy to trust in what we can see and touch, rather than what the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1:17 describes as “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God.”

 

What are the “spider webs” we cling to – or to put it more accurately, cling to us? For starters, there’s success and achievement, making them our be-all and end-all. Fame, wealth and power can have intoxicating powers. Just about anything in life could become a “spiderweb” if it commands all of our attention and energy.

 

In His “sermon on the mount,” Jesus Christ used a similar analogy, referring not to spiders but to sand. “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:26-27). 

 

Jesus had just taught on a wide range of topics, providing instruction about such things as properly handling money, wrongly judging others, understanding how to seek things from God, the importance of choosing the right path for life, and the perils of falling under the influence of false teachers. 

 

Then He made this statement, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). 

 

He could have easily said, “Don’t build your lives on spiderwebs,” but perhaps sand nearby served as an effective visual aid. In any case, either serves as poor building material. 

 

We’d be wise to choose neither, instead following the example of the wise man who chose to build his house on a rock – a firm, trustworthy foundation. As the old hymn reminds us, “The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord.” Perhaps there’s no better reminder for us than this time of year, when we celebrate His birth. 

Building on the Rock to Avoid Hard Places

Seems to me that when you stop learning, you effectively stop living. It’s more than breathing and keeping your heart beating; learning should be a lifelong pursuit. Just about every day I’ve learned something new, and I don’t plan to quit doing so anytime soon. It might not always be an “aha” moment, but it’s fun being say, “I didn’t know that!”

One of my most recent insights involves a long-standing Christian tradition. If someone were to ask you, “What was Jesus’ profession?”, how would you answer? Most likely you’d respond, “Everyone knows He was a carpenter.” Oh, yeah? As sports commentator Lee Corso liked to say, “Not so fast, my friend.”

 

I’ve been reading a book called, The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi by Kathie Lee Gifford with Rabbi Jason Sobol. It introduces readers to well-known biblical sites, but also debunks some widely accepted facts – including the vocation of Jesus.

 

Yes, we’ve all heard that Jesus grew up as a carpenter, a trade he learned from his earthly father, Joseph. In fact, an excellent little evangelistic book by Josh McDowell is called More Than a Carpenter. However, Sobol points out that “tekton” – the Greek word often translated as “carpenter” – also can be translated “stonemason,” “builder” or “architect.” 

 

Before you shrug and say, “So what?”, this is significant for a number of reasons. First of all, although Jesus as a craftsman might have done some work with wood, most of the construction in His day was with stones and rocks. Trees were not very plentiful, so modern-day visitors to Israel quickly observe most of the buildings there consist primarily of stone, not wood.

 

This becomes even more significant when we consider many of Jesus’ teachings. In the “sermon on the mount,” which launched His three-year public ministry, He offered the parable of the wise and foolish builders: 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).

 

He immediately contrasts this man to one who builds a house on unstable sand, unable to withstand the ferocity of a severe storm. Jesus was obviously drawing from His years of personal experience in building with stones, and also offering an illustration His hearers could relate to readily.

 

Some of them might also have connected this teaching with the prophecy in Isaiah 28:16, “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts [in him] will never be dismayed.’”

 

In Mark 6:2-3, we read about how skeptics in Jesus’ hometown responded to His amazing teachings: “’Where did this man get these thing?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the [tekton]?...’ And they took offense at him.” Many translations use the word “carpenter,” but builder or stonemason are probably more accurate.

 

Earlier in His famous sermon, Jesus made another reference drawn from His craft: “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?... If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?” (Matthew 7:9-11). He used the analogy of a stone, not a piece of wood.

 

We could look at many other passages, but one in particular stands out. In his first epistle, the apostle Peter writes, “As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:4-5). 

 

After Peter cites the passage above from Isaiah, he then quotes from Psalm 118:22, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and Isaiah 8:14, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

 

Much more could be said, but isn’t it interesting that we have been called to build our life – and faith – on the solid foundation of what the old hymn calls, “the solid Rock,” the One who chose to make His earthly profession that of a stonemason?

 

Houses made of wood can burn. Those built on poor foundations or on hillsides may fall in a terrible storm or landslide. But those built of stone are typically much more stable and secure. The question is, on what have we built our lives? Wood? Ever-shifting sand? Or are we trusting in and building our lives on the one true, unchanging, Living Stone?

 

There’s the cliché about being stuck between “a rock and a hard place.” Scriptures teach us that in Jesus, we are being offered the Rock as the way to avoid lots of hard places. 

We’re All In This Together, Right? Not So Sure About That

Several months ago, many of us figured that by now the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 would be a fading memory. One of those “good riddance” things. Obviously we were wrong. The virus and its consequences are very much with us. 

One of those “consequences” is continuing to hear famous recording artists and actors, celebrity athletes, and anyone with a “Who’s Who” type of name tell us, “We’re all in this together.” Well, not exactly. It’s true that in one way or another, we’re all in the same storm – but we’re definitely not all in the same boat.

 

Many of the we’re-all-in-this-together folks video their words of consolation from multi-million dollar mansions, or spacious ranches, or extravagantly designed urban apartments. Most of them, like our devoted and outspoken politicians, haven’t missed a single paycheck, while their fans and constituents were trying to figure out how to pay their bills each month, even every week.

 

Is the "boat" you're sailing in
going to carry you through 
life's inevitable storms?

So, to put it another way, some folks are weathering the COVID storm in jaw-dropping yachts or even ocean liners, while many of us are struggling to keep afloat in canoes, kayaks, or flimsy sailboats. Thanks for the words of encouragement, but when you tell us, “We understand,” we’re not convinced that you do.

I was thinking about this because even in non-pandemic times, the realities of everyday living can seem like a storm. Balancing a budget; trying to figure out how to pay to repair or replace things that break down unexpectedly; confronting the stresses of raising children or caring for grandchildren, who at times are just like angels, and other times, well, not so much. Coping with health issues, or the inevitable challenges of getting older. For many of these kinds of problems, it doesn’t seem to matter as much which boat you happen to be in.

 

From time to time we hear someone talk about the Titanic, the supposedly unsinkable luxury steamship that lost its close encounter with an iceberg on April 15, 1912, in the North Atlantic Ocean. On that fateful night, despite the unquestioned assurances of the ship’s designers and builders, more than 1,500 lives were lost that ill-fated night.

 

Contrast that to the simple fishing boat in which Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee. Matthew 8:24-27 tells us, “And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But Jesus was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith.' Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”

 

What a difference: So many lives lost in the sinking of a ship that its makers claimed was indestructible, while a group of devoted followers survived a violent storm that developed suddenly on a vast sea, only because they were traveling in the presence of the Lord.

 

This is a valuable metaphor to cling to today, when the future remains so uncertain – not only with what is yet to unfold with COVID-19, but also the upcoming Presidential election, widespread unrest, and the daily and unpredictable events of life. Whose boat would we rather be in? As Jesus taught similarly: 

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-29).

Living a Solid State Lifestyle

You’ve probably heard the story of the parent who remembers walking six miles to and from school in knee-deep snow, uphill both ways. My childhood wasn’t that colorful, but I do remember things that most Millennials would never believe. For instance, TVs without remotes, with three channels – and tubes.

There was nothing solid about
the state of TVs like this one.

Our television sets (that’s what “TV” stands for, lest we forget) were prehistoric by today’s standards. At first we had just three channels: ABC, CBS, and NBC. In only black-and-white, no less, How did humanity survive such deprivation? Eventually, the channel options expanded to as many as 13. Apparently the “techies” of the day didn’t realize or believe the number 13 was considered by some to be unlucky. We could never have envisioned then the hundreds of channel choices we have today.

A remote control for the TV was unheard of. To change channels, we had to make the dangerous trek through deep shag carpet, reach out and turn a circular dial. Oldsters will recall we had another dial for adjusting the picture. One good thing about having just a trio of channels was we didn’t have to get up that often. Sometimes after so much turning, the channel changer would wear out, making it hard to tune in, but that’s another story.

What I remember most were the tubes that populated the back of the TV set. They came in all sizes, serving all manner of functions. Brightness, vertical and horizontal controls, contrast. The biggest one was the main TV tube with the screen. When that went out, it meant time to buy a new TV. But there were many smaller tubes; when the TV started having problems, the trick was to figure out which was the culprit.

Then, thanks to the space age, “solid state” circuitry was invented, making TV tubes obsolete. Satellite technology was applied to many household devices, opening exciting new vistas. No more replacing burnt-out tubes; they were replaced by transistors and circuit boards. Exploratory forays to the back of the TV became unnecessary. TV repairmen became collateral damage, but that was the price of progress.

Solid-state design also revolutionized radios. Fear of jostling an appliance, rendering it unworkable was eliminated. Bulkiness became a thing of the past, and we no longer had to fret over delicate handling of the devices. No more fragile tubes to jiggle around and loosen.

In Jesus’ day, of course, solid-state technology wasn’t even a figment of anyone’s imagination. But He did address the importance of what we might term, “solid-state spirituality.” Sitting on a mountainside one day, in the midst of His “sermon on the mount,” Jesus told a parable about two builders, one wise and one foolish (Matthew 7:24-27). The first chose to use a solid, rock foundation for the house he built; the other elected to build a house on sand. 

Both houses seemed stable until a storm came, bringing torrential rains and strong winds. Predictably, the house on solid rock stood firm, while the house on sand fell with a decisive, resounding crash. This story marked the culmination of Jesus’ message, summarizing His expansive admonition for people to submit to God and place their faith in Him for every aspect of life. 

We don’t have to ponder too long to arrive at an application for our own lives. Storms in life are rarely predicted. As someone has said, life is what happens when we’re busy making other plans. Illnesses, financial setbacks, broken-down cars or appliances, calamities of many sorts. All have a way of turning our world upside-down. That’s when solid-state spirituality matters most.

Faith in God doesn’t insulate us from adversity. But it enables us to weather those storms, even if it means sometimes hanging on by our fingernails, until the calm returns. Those without faith have only their own resources to call upon, and often those are woefully insufficient. But our trust in the Lord enables us to pray, as the psalmist did, “Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly” (Psalm 102:1-2).

Often in times of trouble I’ve turned to the Psalms and found both comfort and reassurance. One of my favorites is Psalm 118:14, “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” This verse is true even in quiet, peaceful times, but when the tumult returns – as happens in each of our lives, ready it or not – it serves as a reminder that God has enabled me to build my “house,” my life, upon the Rock. Anything else we turn to in life is shifting, unstable sand.

A life founded on the solid Rock, Jesus Christ, might be shaken up from time to time, but we don’t have to fear a permanent, cataclysmic crash. As I write this, a beloved member of our family is dealing with a serious health challenge. But knowing she’s in the Lord’s hands, we can trust in Him, as King David did when he wrote, “In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me” (Psalm 86:17).

What’s the state of your spirituality? Is it solid?

Values and Decision-Making

Decision-making can be both fun and frustrating. Some decisions are simple and inconsequential: what to eat for breakfast; what shirt or dress to wear; what color to paint the wall; what restaurant to select for an evening meal.

Other decisions carry considerable weight: what college to attend and what to study; what career to pursue; who to marry; how to manage your finances; how to budget your time; which people to associate with; even what house to buy, and where to live.

So while some decisions fall under the “I don’t care, you pick” category, others can truly prove to be life-changing – for good or for not so good. So how do we go about deciding on the more important choices in life? An insightful quotation I read recently offers some helpful advice.

Even in all its grandeur, Disney's
famed Cinderella's Castle rests
on its foundation for stability.

Almost everyone has heard of Walt Disney, the creative visionary whose dreams turned into live and animated movies, TV programming, music, and theme parks. But other members of his family made important contributions to the success of the Disney brand. One of them was the late Roy E. Disney, whose father, Roy O. Disney – Walt’s brother – was co-founder of The Walt Disney Company.

The younger Roy spent many years as a senior executive with the company. His quote in question: “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” It’s a simple statement, but quite profound nonetheless.

Values the Disneys embraced through the years have guided them in developing such delightfully popular characters and projects as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy; “Mary Poppins”; TV’s Mickey Mouse Club, Disneyland and Walt Disney World; “Snow White”; “Toy Story,” Nemo, and a seemingly endless list of other entertainment classics.

In a sense, those values Roy Disney referred to served as the foundation for the Disney empire’s achievements many of us have enjoyed. But this is true not only for all things Disney, but also for any enterprise, whether a different kind of business or organization, a family, or even individuals. Making major decisions without the guidance of clearly established values typically leads to a murky result at best.

Jesus spoke about the importance of a foundation – the right foundation. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had the foundation of the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).

He contrasted that with “a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:26-27).

The passage says many who heard these words were amazed, since Jesus spoke with great authority, but surely there were some who dismissed what He had to say. They had no interest in doing what He said or following His teachings. Sadly – according to Jesus – the values they were choosing instead were the equivalent of building sand castles.

I’ve learned – as have many of my friends – that having clear values in fact does ease the decision-making process, especially for challenging matters. Do we dabble in the areas of temptation to which we know we’re susceptible? Do we pursue lofty goals that could prove detrimental to cherished relationships? Do we spend more than we can afford on things we want, resulting in becoming “servant to the lender,” as Proverbs 22:7 describes it? Do we devote time to unproductive diversions, at the expense of more important commitments?

We don’t need to become legalistic, placing a taboo on anything that hints at being fun. But as my friend Oswald Chambers often states in his devotional writings, even good things can be the enemy of things that are best for us.

So as we strive to clarify and then hold true to our values, as Roy E. Disney suggested, we can discover that making key decisions is much easier than we thought.