All of which begs another question. Do spiders have nightmares? Do spiders dream about being swatted by a frantic arachnophobe? Do they experience dreadful images of getting stuck in their own webs and being teased by their friends? (By the way, what do you call it when a shark, a crocodile, and a giant spider walk into a bar? Australia.)
Interestingly, many of the things that frighten us most are often themselves held prisoners by their own fears. The writer of the Old Testament book of Numbers recorded a report given by a group of spies that checked out the residents who occupied the Promised Land. Ten of the spies revealed their collective fear by claiming how inadequate the Israelites stacked up to their enemies. The irony is that nine chapters later, the author claimed, “…Moab was terrified because there were so many [Israelites]” (Numbers 22:15, NIV). Israel’s foes were as frightened of the Jews as the Jews were of their enemies.
This very scene continues to be played out in our world today. Many of our harshest critics are threatened by the strengths we possess in comparison to what they view in themselves as weaknesses. A putdown becomes the bully’s means of covering their own deficiencies. Giving someone the cold shoulder can serve as a preemptive strike against that person who might potentially reject them. The truth is that this world could be a little less conflicted if before we shout, “How dare she say that to me.” Rather, we first ask, “Of what does she fear? And what can I say or do to alleviate
the tension between us?”
So, perhaps spiders bite us because they’re convinced we want to bite them! Acknowledging one another’s fear seems like a good move to disentangling any web conflict before we become trapped. My advice is to sleep well and dream of more pleasant encounters to come.