The other day I was cleaning our patio, which lead me to rearrange the table and chairs. We had Judson’s windchime hanging from a nail off a short awning, along with a couple little birdhouses. After making some adjustments, the windchime was no longer centered over the patio table the way I prefer it. But I realized if I switched the windchime and one of the birdhouses to opposite nails, everything would be aligned perfectly.
As I was rehanging the chime with my left hand, I suddenly jumped and screamed at the realization that there were wasps violently swarming around my right hand. I instictively dropped the birdhouse and ran, hollering to Drake in the garage, “I just upset a wasps’ nest. They’re everywhere!”
Our Patio & Jud’s Windchime
“Get out of there!” he exclaimed (which later made me chuckle because I wasn’t exactly inclined to stay and chat with the angry wasps).
Once clear of the area, I turned in circles, brushing off my body like a madwoman, while checking to ensure the wasps hadn’t followed me. I was safe.
Several minutes later, I decided to carefully return to the scene. Wasps were still swarming the patio. But they weren’t congregating near the birdhouse on the ground that contained thier home, they were swarming around the windchime where the nest had hung. I quickly braved the area, carefully bagged the birdhouse, and swiftly left the scene of the crime for the rest of the day.
Wasp Nest On The Tip of Jud’s Windchime
The next morning we were leaving our home through the patio and surprisingly discovered the wasps were building their nest again…on the tip of the windchime…where their former nest had been. There were other birdhouses on the patio that seemed a more fitting place to rebuild but they went back to the exact place of their home’s previous demise. We quickly took care of the new nest and moved the windchime to a different nail.
It wasn’t until a few days later that we caught sight of another nest. This time the wasps were constructing their home on the very tip of the nail that had previously held the birdhouse and windchime. Once again, we disposed of their home.
The Nail Where Their Previous Nest Had Hung
And again, they returned to the same nail, the location of repeated destruction, and started building their nest anew.
I found it fascinating. It seemed no matter how many times we demolished their home, they foolishly came back. It reminded me of Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.”
I began to reflect on my own life and the areas where I foolishly repeat behaviors that are sinful and ultimately harmful. By God’s grace we are given the power to break the cycle of our destructive nature that ultimately leads to greater heartache.
My nature, like the wasps, is to return to my folly. God, in his nature, transforms me.