Brace yourself: The pictures in this story may freak you out!
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.(Galatians 6:4)
Today as we cleaned the undergrowth from the garden, the boys and I witnessed the most amazing sight. First, I was shocked by what I saw. I have seen wasps catch spiders for their nests before. They stun them, keeping them alive and then fly them back to their mud nests, encasing them in the mud. When their larvae hatches, they eat the live, stunned spiders that are in their home. I have seen this many times before, but never with a spider this large.
My initial shock was then transformed to a sense of awe. We looked on as the wasp that is a third of the size of the spider, dragged it's catch across the grass, as it has too heavy to fly home. It dragged the spider, walking backwards for at least three meters.
It then moved up and across our bitumen driveway, picking up the pace, as the grass no longer encumbered it.
It then moved up the fence, clenching tightly to it's prize, scaling the six foot fence. It is in the picture you can really see the size of the spider.
Now as I am observing this, I imagine the wasps excitement. (Yes, I know God made me weird)
Wasp: 'Woohoo! When the kids wake up they are going to be so surprised. I can't believe I have found them something so amazing. It is so big I can hardly carry it. I am so tired from lugging it, but the look on their little wasp faces will be worth it. I can't wait to see them enjoy it.
Then God began to speak to me about the wasp and how diligent it was in it's work. It allowed me to get close enough to take photos. It allowed nothing to distract it from it's work. It stopped only once, to survey the change in surface between the grass and bitumen. the wasp had been given a gift and now it was not going to let it go.
This is how we need to be with God's tasks for us. We need to not look to the right or the left. We are not to glance back over our shoulder and see who is looking. We are to be thankful and we need to be diligent, carrying out the work God has given us.
May our only satisfaction come from bringing a smile to God's face and seeing a job well done.
I love how God speaks to us through His creation. It's easy to be distracted by everything around us, but we need to keep our eyes fixed on Him.
ReplyDeleteThat is one HUGE spider!! What an amazing thing to capture in pictures.
I love the analogy, Nicole. (even though I'm not a big fan of wasps or spiders) And so very true. It's easy to get 'sidetracked' by other tasks - even by 'worthy causes' that can take us away from HIS plan. And sometimes distractions are strategically placed in our path for the very purpose of robbing us of God's will.
ReplyDeleteNo tea breaks or smokos either!
ReplyDeleteOh boy, I think we can learn a lot from the animal kingdom.
It was huge Debbie! And yes, God's creation is amazing. There is so much we can learn by just watching.
ReplyDeleteI agree Rose, that our best intentions sometimes draw us away from God's plan for our lives. We must be so alert to His voice at all times.
ReplyDeleteToo right Paula, all of God's creatures work hard for their food. We would do well to learn from them.
ReplyDeleteI learned the hard way about wasps and spiders...when I knocked down a wasp nest and found it was full of spiders! Crazy.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that was in Texas.
No wasps, and only itty bitty harmless spiders in Alaska.
Nope, I don't miss the buggers, but that is such a good story, and way of looking at what that wasp did.