Once upon a time, in a far away ocean, on a small island, a baby tarantula hatched. He yawned, and stretched out his little soon to be hairy legs. He blinked his 8 eyes and adjusted them to the light. He climbed over 73 of his brothers and sisters. As he started to leave the protection of the group, his mom and dad noticed. They called out to him and tried to get him to come back. They knew their tiny tarantula was not ready for the big wide world, as interesting and inviting as it may have seemed. But the tiny tarantula ignored their pleas, and continued to crawl away as he surveyed his surroundings. He decided to check out something shiny in the corner. It took him about 10 minutes to get all the way there. He, being just a newly hatched baby spider was tired after that, and decided to hide in the shadow of the shiny thing for a while. He got comfortable and took a little nap. This wasn't so bad...
Shortly, a noise woke him. It was two people who apparently wanted to share his space with him. They came in and were talking and walking around. One almost stepped on him, but thankfully he was able to scurry out of the way before they did. He saw the lady pull a soft jacket out of the shiny thing. So he thought that he would climb the side of the shiny thing, and check out what else might be inside.
He very carefully climbed until he was able to peek over the edge. Everything inside looked soft, comfy and very inviting. His little spider brain was pondering what to do, when he leaned too far over the edge and fell inside. The next thing he knew, all the lights went out, and his world was upended. Then it began to move and swing. It seemed to him like his world didn't stop moving for several days. Little did he know, but he was leaving his small island and taking a long trip. Little did he know, but he would never see his family again.
When his world did finally stop moving, and the lights were turned back on, the tiny tarantula decided to slowly, carefully crawl out from his warm comfortable surroundings. When he did, he heard a loud shriek and then heavy footsteps coming his way...
And let's just say that things did not end so well for our tiny tarantula who was so many, many, miles from home. And I guess we could also say that curiosity doesn't just kill the cat.
Our little tarantula was away from the protection of his parents. He took a trip he had no business taking. He should have stayed on his small island living off of insects, lizards and such. Instead, his curiosity got the best of him, and his little life ended way too soon.
The moral of the story: We know what is right, and we know what is wrong. The world tries to tell us that there is no right or wrong. That we should stretch our little legs and blink our eyes and try things out. That we should do whatever we want, and whatever makes us feel good. That we shouldn't listen to our parents or stay close to home, because our parents are nerdy, and home is boring...but the world...Well, now...the world is exciting, and we definitely should try it out. But unfortunately, that philosophy often only ends in sadness and heartache. God has given us a plan book for the best life that we can possibly live. Doing it our own way only muddies up the water and messes up God's perfect plan for us.
It is so much better to follow God's plan. As we yield to His will, and do things His way, we see that it gets easier and easier to continue to do so. It may be hard in the beginning, but as we begin to experience life as God has planned for it to be, then all we want is more of life as God has planned for it to be.
It is so much better to listen to those who have been there and are wiser than us. It is so much better to stick close to those who love us and have our best interests at heart; to listen to those who want to see us succeed and live long healthy lives. The Bible even promises that if we will honor and obey our parents, that we will live long, and that things will be well with us.
I don't know about you all, but I want to live a long, full life. I don't want to be like the tiny tarantula, who never experienced life as it was meant to be for him. But the choice is ours...I have made my choice. Which way will you choose?
*Inspired by a true tiny tarantula adventure as told to me by my wonderful mother-in-love*
