Outside my third-floor office is a hallway about 125 feet long. On many days, glorious sunshine filters through its twelve cathedral-height windows. But sun or not, I've noticed that the outside of these windows all seem to feature a high level of arachnid activity—spiders.
Plying their wind-resistant webs, these eight-legged critters spin, sprint, and snack hour after hour. In all twelve windows. And this, in broad daylight! Here, I thought spiders were supposed to be nocturnal. (Perhaps the flies they’re catching all drink Red Bull?). Phone snapshots below.
Having searched the web for—well—web facts, I was still curious. Are these insect-eating arthropods exceedingly exuberant, or is this standard spider stuff? My spidey sense was confused. After all, not a single morning passes that I do not find them energized, engaged, and in motion. In all twelve windows. Perfect attendance—every day.
I learned that spiders do not (as I previously thought) croak at the first frost. Many of them enter a form of hibernation. I think they should call it “Spidernation”—but they don’t.
The arachnid activity I'm observing may simply be a display of spiders preparing for winter. Their Creator programmed them to know that tough times are ahead. Spinning, bundling, and equipping, they're getting ready with commendable diligence. And those spiders have perfect attendance—every day.
In a long stare at a laced web, the question came to mind—are we as smart? As believers, we read that tough times are ahead. Godlessness, hedonism, the rumblings of persecution—winter is coming.
Are we, like those humble spiders, equipping ourselves? Are we daily with our King? Daily in His Word? If we are to thrive, not just survive, we’ve got some prep work to do.
The spiders have perfect attendance.
And us?