“I have cobwebs in my house…” the words tiptoed through my head like a hushed whisper begging me to explore their potential. I looked at the walls, the light fixtures, and the corners where the cobwebs sat like ornaments adorning the space.
Cobwebs…
We just arrived home from camping for several days, and the spiders seem to have been emboldened by our absence, declaring this their residence. “I have cobwebs in my house…” again the words echoed through my mind. “There’s fingerprints too…” I counteracted. “Surely cobwebs aren’t so bad… they’re part of life.”
But as I considered that truth, I realized the difference. Cobwebs mean that something else is existing in the space we call our own while fingerprints are simply symptoms of being alive.
I pause as I write the words above… realizing the truth in them and pondering that indication. If cobwebs mean that there is something living somewhere it ought not, it means my home belongs to something else. Whether that’s because I didn’t clean thoroughly enough, haven’t been aware as they crept inside, or know that they live beside me but don’t mind their presence in my life, still there’s something living within my walls… and whatever it is, I am responsible for it.
Where are the Webs hiding?
As I held my baby daughter, rocking her to sleep, I examined the cobwebs hanging on the wall, tucked away in quiet corners, and nestled against the ceiling. I asked myself a question that I still can’t seem to fully grasp. “Where else are cobwebs hiding?” Perhaps this question is much less physical rather more provocative mentally. “Are there cobwebs in my marriage? In my parenting? Found decorating my walk with God?” And if there are, what does that mean except that something is living where it ought not. However, if I have permitted it to stay that should be an intentional decision rather than pure complacency.
Do you have Webs hanging…
Do you have cobwebs hanging in the corners of your heart? Are they taking up space within the recess of your mind. If there are, it’s because you’ve permitted something else to exist within you – be it good or bad. Cobwebs aren’t just happenstance, they’re telltale of a life. What life or “lives” are you sustaining?
Whatever lives you’re feeding, let them have a purpose and a plan. If it’s Daddy Long Legs, building their webs inside your home (or heart, metaphorically of course), perhaps they’ve been permitted because they kill the flies. Just know that what you’re feeding will always continue to grow. You can never say yes without saying no, so if you choose to feed the Daddy Long Legs, let them have a purpose.
If they are Black Widows that are taking residence, building webs within your mind, know that those are poisonous and a waste of time. Their webs are indicators that you’re feeding other lives, and with each day that passes, you’ll grow weaker in their embrace.
Where are the spider webs in your home?
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