Today while I was gone, Louisa, Birgitta, and Emerald endured a crisis. The baby had just woken up from her nap, and Birgitta was on the way to her favorite chair when she spotted a big spider on the upholstery. Screaming in panic, she tore up the stairs and hollered for Louisa to come and help.

When Louisa got a look at the large, menacing spider, she began screaming, too, which prompted Emerald to start in. They knew it would be difficult to kill such a big spider, so Louisa ran for a plastic container, a stiff card, and a book to put between her fingers and the spider.

She caged it in the container, but not before Birgitta clicked a picture. Then she slid the card beneath the spider as it darted about inside, and put the book beneath the card for safety. They carried it outside, walked a block down the street, and let it go.

Back home on the computer they became alarmed when “their” spider matched Google pictures of a brown recluse, a species with a killer venom. The brown recluse has been nicknamed “fiddleback” or “brown fiddler” because of its violin-shaped markings, which this spider did have. Though the brown recluse isn’t aggressive, if it’s pressed (as between clothing and skin), it’ll bite.

Researching further, the girls gasped over computer images of infected bites when spider venom had eaten away flesh, leaving freaky-looking, severe skin damage. People can actually die as a result.

When I arrived home after attending my prayer group, they were still upset and quickly spilled out their tale of horror. “I’ll never sit in that chair again!” Birgitta said.

Later I did a bit of research on my own, envisioning little Emerald vs. big spider. I learned that the brown recluse isn’t aggressive but fears people, preferring to scamper away rather than interact. In our area they’re extremely rare, and a sighting of one doesn’t necessarily mean others are nearby. As Nelson often says, “It’s always too soon to panic.”

I think God would agree with that. He doesn’t want us to panic over a spider or anything else. Second Timothy 1:7 reminds us he “hasn’t given us a spirit of fear.”

So when we’re panicky about something, we can be sure those feelings haven’t come from God but are from the devil, who is a champion at getting us all riled up. Most of the time there’s a way around fearful circumstances that doesn’t include panic, and if we keep a level head, God will show us what to do.

I’m proud of my girls for tackling their spider-crisis bravely, even while risking a bite. But maybe, if there’s ever a next time, they’ll be able to handle it without quite so much screaming.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.” (Psalm 55:22)