beautiful-spider-web01One of my favorite pastimes is power walking. There is something about being outside and communing with nature that is invigorating. Since I do it year round, I enjoy the uniqueness of every season. Sometimes it’s seeing the trees aflame with the vibrant hues of autumn; or inhaling the floral perfume of jasmine when it blossoms in springtime. Even though I often take the same route, there’s always something different to see.

Part of my walking route follows the sidewalk that borders the back of the local high school. There is a chain link fence along the way and on the other side are the athletic fields. Depending on the time of year I may see a football practice, students jogging around the track, or a baseball game in progress. If there are no students present, the fields are overtaken by geese or sea gulls. There is always something to see on those fields. Even though I’ve taken that route dozens of times, recently I saw something I’d never noticed before. Normally I glance through the fence to see what’s happening on the other side. This time I actually looked at the fence and there, in one of the thousands of diamond-shaped links, was a beautiful work of art. A spider had woven a delicate web that glistened in the morning sun like so many tiny jewels strung on silk strands. It was so intricate that I had to stop to admire it. As I did I was struck by two thoughts.

First, although I’d passed that fence many times, I’d never noticed any spider webs. How often do we go through life looking at the big picture, but not seeing the tiny miracles right in front of us?

Second, that spider just did what she was created to do. It didn’t matter that there were thousands of links where the web could have been spun, or that there were millions of other spiders that could have done it. She just picked a spot and did what needed to be done in that time and place. Even though it was a small web, she took time to make every detail perfect.

Have you ever felt insignificant? Like your small contribution to the world doesn’t make much of a difference? As human beings we often struggle with defining our own identity and purpose. Just know that only you can be you. God has strategically placed you exactly where you are at this time and place to do what only you can do. It doesn’t matter that there are “other spiders on the fence”. Just weave your web…