Alighting Arthropods

Most of us have ambivalent views of insects. We are generally happy that honeybees pollinate flowers and provide us with a form of sticky sweetness that we mix in our food and drinks, but we also learn not to aggravate them, as a bee sting can be quite painful, and in some cases, even deadly. We enjoy watching beautiful butterflies fluttering among the flowers in the garden, but would rather not be bothered by flies, mosquitoes, ants and termites, for they land on our food, suck our blood, transmit diseases, bite and destroy our homes. Locusts devour our crops, but in some places, people return the favor by eating them. Suffice to say, humans and insects have a...complicated relationship.

It is perhaps this complex experience we have with insects that some of us have such difficulty remaining indifferent when one is within arm's length. We may shoo the fly or gnat, swat at the mosquito, stop and admire the butterfly or ladybug, squish the ant, take pictures of the dragonfly, duck from the approaching Japanese beetle, touch the caterpillar, or catch the grasshopper. A nearby nest of hornets may strike fear in our hearts and raise our heart rates and blood pressures. Insects stir within us responses of fascination, admiration, fear, aggression, and/or disgust, and it is generally difficult for an insect to get very close to me unscathed...

...unless it approaches from my blind side. I have been in Taiwan lately to visit my mother, who is recovering from an elective surgery, and last Sunday decided to visit the Bread of Life Church in Taipei. My mother gave me only general directions on how to get there by bus, but did not know the times of the church services, other than that there were probably several services each Sunday. I found the church after a short bus ride and a considerable amount of walking, and spent a couple of minutes standing by the entrance on the sidewalk to study the schedule of events. As I pondered my choices, I felt an unusual sensation on my neck, which initially seemed like an itch, but within a few seconds grew in intensity, and reminded me of what it felt like when I once allowed a small praying mantis to crawl on top of my head for fun. Ugh! I realized that some insect was probably crawling on my neck, so I shook my neck in an attempt to get rid of it. It was still there. I shook harder, now having the appearance of someone having convulsions. The thing appeared to have come loose, but now it dropped out of my neck and started to head down my back inside my shirt. I shook, I twisted, I reached behind my back, I looked like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, I...

...somehow managed to flick the thing out of my back, and saw to my surprise and slight horror a fully grown cockroach dropping to the ground and rapidly taking off toward the nearest tree. The cockroach was about two inches long, and if memory serves me correctly, these Taiwanese roaches can fly, though not very well – I used to see them banging against walls and windows and making crashing sounds. The poor cockroach likely mistook my neck for a landing pad, and I could have killed it; however, there was no harm, no foul for either of us in the end.

Many would have totally freaked out by such an experience. I'm talking about shrieks of terror, total loss of reason, panic attacks with hyperventilation, stuff like that. I've seen people react like that to cockroaches that weren't flying or landing on necks. I was actually more concerned when the bugger first started crawling down my back, as I couldn't tell initially whether it was an insect, a lizard or a small rodent, and became relieved that it was “only” a cockroach. I do not fear cockroaches because I know that they don't bite or sting, and that I am much bigger and present a more serious threat to a cockroach than it is to me during close encounters. On the other hand, my reaction would likely be much more severe if a scorpion or a poisonous snake made a surprise landing on me.

Christians often experience (figuratively, of course) similar close cockroach encounters during our earthly journey. Things may suddenly and unexpectedly happen to us that cause us anxiety, fear and pain. It may be a financial crisis, a false accusation, a lawsuit, an acute illness, or loss of a family member or close friend. However, when we size up the situation clinging on to God's promises, these situations take on new appearances as our perspectives change. Instead of being fearful of adversity, we remember to...

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Instead of worrying about harm that may befall us, we remember that...

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

So, what was God's purpose in allowing the cockroach to scamper down my back? I wonder if it was a test to see whether I'd still go to church that morning (I checked out the English service there – lots of saints, no roaches on the floor). In any case, it made for an interesting story to tell.