“Tarantella”

It was thought, the bite of the spider had caused the disease.  Known as “tarantismo”, the disease manifested itself as a severe bout of melancholy and depression followed by death.  It was believed, there was only one cure.  To avoid death, one must get up and move.  One must work and start sweating.  Specifically, one must perform the feverish dance, set to music, called the “tarantella”.  That scared me.  It scared me because I can’t dance.

What was I thinking?  Sometimes I am so random.  Just like the other day while knocking sand and dust from my boots and pulling cactus thorns out of my pants, I silently wondered if......  Wait. Wait.  That’s a different story.  

This particular time I was trying to take a picture of a tarantula, and, whimsically thought about being bitten by it’s large fangs.  That fleeting thought, in turn, made me think about contracting tarantismo, which made me think about tarantella dances, which, in turn, made me think about how poorly I dance.  Albeit, bad dancing aside, if I am strictly limited to the options of dance or die, I would gladly perform a modified version of the tarantella with high stepping adeptness.  Believe me, the sweat would flow wether accompanied by tambourines or not.

Sorry, I’ve digressed again.....

Back to the story.

Unbothered, the tarantula seemed immune to my presence.  I offered it an obstacle.  Undeterred, it went around.  I put my camera up close, It continued on it’s way.  It didn’t stop.  Despite the detours and distractions I presented, the humble tarantula was purely focused on the work at hand.

Historically, the spider species that we now refer to as “tarantula” was not the same species responsible for causing tarantismo.  Supposedly, the European wolf spider was the guilty party.  It, too, was a large formidable spider, and it was commonly called a “tarantula” since it was frequently found near a city in Italy named Taranto.  However, the big hairy spider that we encounter in the American southwest desert also received the name tarantula because of it’s “close” resemblance.  In other words, it’s big, it’s intimidating, and it’s scary.  Yep, it’s a tarantula!

What about the disease “tarantismo”?

I’m not sure the disease was ever proven to exist much less be spider caused.  In fact, some experts have formulated opinions stating that “tarantismo” was a complex internalized reaction caused by severe repressive environmental conditions.  Interestingly, though, what was the cure?  Get up and move.  Do some work.

In the Book of Proverbs Chapter 30, we are reminded of four, seemingly, insignificant creatures that are wise.  One of those creatures is the spider.  (Due to translation, some versions of the Bible reference the lizard)

“The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.”

Proverbs 30:28 KJV

The spider exhibits persistence and everyday toil.  It doesn’t expect the work to be done for it.  It doesn’t expect someone else to spin the web so it can live and eat.  The spider dutifully begins working on what needs to be done.  Though the work is tedious and seems mountainous at times, bit by bit the spider gets it done.  Persistence.  Patience.  Determination.  Slow progress is still progress.  There are no shortcuts offered, but the spider just keeps working.  The work at hand isn’t glamorous or lofty, yet where does the spider end up?  The spider resides in kings’ palaces!

There is much to be learned from a lowly spider.  The tarantula in my picture never stopped moving.  Despite my blockades, it refused to quit.  The spider in Proverbs, begins working with what is at hand.  No excuses.  No complaints.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we learned to exemplify those traits.  I believe God would provide amazing opportunities for us if we would just joyfully begin working on what is currently before us.

There may or may not be a disease called tarantismo, but there are several others called laziness, entitlement, arrogance, and ostentatiousness.  Surprisingly, they all have the same cure.  We need to get up and move. We need to work.  We need to sweat.  We can’t quit.  We need to faithfully perform whatever version of “tarantella” God has tasked us to do!  Shall we dance?