Watch Out for Pine Needles!

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. ~Genesis 4:7 (ESV)

This morning, I sat down (outside) somewhat close to a nice-looking spider web, aglow in the rising sun. Just out of curiosity, I picked up a pine needle and tossed it into the very intricately-woven web. Immediately, the warrior scrambled over to assess the damage done to his city wall. I thought at first that the little guy was confused at why the pine needle didn't have the right body shape or blood type of a normal victim, so he was attempting to tie it up for later, but as I watched, something else appeared to be going on. The spider realized that the needle was a hazard and a distraction that would lessen his chances of being productive later, so he expertly worked at unharnessing each part of the stuck needle until he was holding the thing (which was significantly larger than his own body) out from the web and gingerly dropping it to floor below. He then made his way back to the center of the web to resume duty.

I would offer a comparison for us to this spider. Even though we often have those high points in our spiritual walk, times when we are in the Word, in prayer, in fellowship with other believers and enjoying life as Christ did...when we allow even something small into our defenses, it can block our growth and hinder us from a full relationship with God. This blockage basically resembles our pine needles in life--they could look like tiredness, compromise, unnecessary daily distractions, indulgence, sin, busyness, "higher" priorities, etc. If there is anything that comes up to block our defenses, thus hindering our offensive, we need to get upfront about it and un-stick it from our lives. Only when we are completely free from distractions can God work miracles in and through us.

I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. ~1 Corinthians 7:35 (ESV)