Learning from the Lizard and the Spider

If a person has a teachable spirit, he can learn great wisdom from anything, even from the small and insignificant creatures, like the lizard and the spider. Most people have an aversion for creepy crawlies, it probably makes their skin crawl. I wouldn’t consider lizards and spiders as favourite pets that you would like to have in your house. Nevertheless, it makes its way in your house and it stays there.

A lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces (Proverbs 30:28 NIV). Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they’re found in kings’ palaces (Proverbs 30:28 ISV). In Proverbs 30, verse 28, one translation talks about a lizard and another translation speaks about spiders. We can learn a great deal from both these creatures.

Lizards and spiders teach a boundless lesson on inferiority complex that most people struggle with. They are ugly, scary creatures that are despised by everyone, yet they make their way to the best mansions. They don’t possess self-hatred or low self-esteem, nor do they evaluate themselves based on the reaction of people around them. They decide they are going to live in the king’s palace and there’s nothing that can stop them.

How do you evaluate yourself? Do you consider yourself ugly, or perhaps you think you are the centre of the universe because you are so incredibly beautiful. It really doesn’t matter if you are ugly or beautiful, poor or rich, illiterate or educated. If you find your worth in your appearance, education, wealth and status, you have a wrong valuation of yourself, because when you lose any of these things, you lose yourself and according to your perception you become nothing. Do you realise why celebrities, who are so beautiful, wealthy, talented and famous, end up with drug overdose and die? Wrong perception leads to a life of bondage.

Who you are is not based on your outward appearance, nor with your possessions. Who you are is based on what God created you to be, who you are is based on what comes from within your spirit. When you lose your worldly perception of yourself and gain an eternal perception, you will make your way to the Kings Palace. You will make your way to heaven, your eternal home. When you look at yourself, the way God created you to be, you will realize you are unstoppable on your eternal journey.

When a predator catches a lizard by its tail, the lizard lets go of its tail and runs away to safety. The ability of the lizard to let go of its tail, confuses the predator and the lizard takes this opportunity to escape. As a believer, the enemy will come in various ways to stop you from reaching your destiny. He will create hindrances and hurdles along your path.

If you have the ability to discern the working of the devil and be able to let go of the criticism, annoyances, distractions and offences that come your way; if you train yourself like the lizard to let go of these which can prevent you from going forward, you will learn to survive and thrive. Are you caught up with petty strife’s that hinder you and make you lose focus of your eternal destiny?

A lizard never stops growing, it sheds its skin when it has outgrown it. Are you able to shed off old habits as you learn to mature in Jesus Christ? Are you ready to renew your mind and grow in holiness? Like a lizard, are you willing to grow and let go?

Let’s now look at a spider. A spider spins its own web from silk that it produces from its glands with the help of spinnerets. Sometimes, it’s not easy for the spider to build its web, but it never gives up. It keeps trying until he has finished it. We too are called to be fishers of men. If you want to go fishing, you need a good net to catch fishes. Like the spider, we spin our nets from within our spirit. The spider does it to catch its prey, we do it to win souls. “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work (John 4:34 NIV).”

We all know about hunger pangs. It signals us that we need to eat. If we ignore it, we grow weak and tired. Spiritual hunger is the same, we need to be fed, so we can grow. When a cup is empty, it can be filled. When it is filled, it will overflow. The same is in the life of a believer. First, the hunger is for our own growth, and when we are filled, we overflow and minister to others.

When we have no such hunger, it only means we are spiritually dead. A corpse doesn’t feel hunger pangs, nor does it wake up to have breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has no need for food, it is dead and has stopped growing and is decaying.

A spider never gives up and neither should we. It may not be easy, but we need to keep trying, pray at all times, and keep on doing the good work that we are called to do. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

A spider’s web is sticky which helps the spider to catch its prey. It also catches a lot of dust. A spider has to keep rebuilding its web, in order to keep catching its prey. Likewise, when we are doing God’s work, there are bound to be hindrances from the enemy. We have to be diligent and equipped with God’s word and grace, and keep building on His promises and continue doing His will.