I have a net in my balcony preventing UFOs from flying in. It is just a bug net protecting me from every uninvited flying object.

Apart from the lesson that the wind has anger issues, I noticed a more spiritual meaning behind the hanging net. It taught me the qualities and importance of faithfulness.

You can count on the faithful

When I hung the net, I thought it would stay up without any issues. But, most of the time, it did not. There was always one loose corner that invited all sorts of refugees: flies, bugs, and bees.

Who thought that a small gap would be a problem? I thought bugs are not smart enough to look for one! I was wrong. They find the entrance but not the exit.

My bug net was up, but I still was woken up by itchy mosquito bites. The net had to be checked every evening if I wanted to have a night without involuntary donating blood.

Reliability is a synonym of faithfulness. If you had to go and check up on someone regularly, it shows a lack of reliability. For example, the bug net was unreliable because I could not count on it to keep the bugs away.

Fortunately, after a couple of weeks, the net seemed to have understood my intentions and started to cooperate! After that, loose ends and corners decided to hold on to the stickers. Consequently, my trust in the net began to grow. The check-ups grew less constant until they became unnecessary.

A reliable person earns this badge by showing up whenever needed and doing what is necessary. When your boss can count on you, it means your good work is expected.

Faithfulness withstands the opposition

I am convinced — the wind hates my bug net. But, it never misses the opportunity to toss, shake and harass my protector from the bugs.

In the first week of service, the net faced a wind storm. I was not sure if the net will be able to withstand the hat-blowing wind. The next day after the storm, I found that the wind decided to break a couple of my laundry clips and throw my favorite shirt on the ground. Yet, the net was hanging proudly, almost intact.

We live in a world where the commitment to your values will be tested.

The existence of battles in your life does not mean that you are weak. The very opposite! It means you are confronting the enemy and standing your ground. You are willing to swim against the current and not just ride the ever-changing streams of the world.

It does not mean that all life has to consist of difficulties. On the contrary, the presence of challenges shows that you stand for what you believe even in the heat of opposition. And only faithful endure! You only need to persevere one extra day than the opposing force to see the victory on your side.

Victory is often handed over to the one who remains faithful.

“So be truly glad. There is much joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (1 Peter 1:6–7, NLT).

Faithfulness is a highway to perfection

I hope you realize that I am writing about a silly and cheap mesh because I am blessed by it. By doing its job, the net became one of the best additions to my home. I have quiet nights without any mosquitos invading the room or my skin. Its function perfects my life and my home.

Biblical perfection means completeness and maturity. When we do what God calls us to do and remain faithful through all the bumps on the road, we grow. It can be reached by patient endurance in walking out our calling and the faith.

“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:3–4, NLT).

Learning a new skill reflects the completion. Upon the start, we don’t know what we are doing. Then, as we learn the basics, we repeat them until they become second nature. Only after overcoming challenges, we get to call ourselves experienced experts.

Final thoughts

God seems to enjoy giving lessons through daily objects and activities. Thus, the bug net not only protects me from unwanted flying objects but also teaches valuable character qualities.

Faithfulness requires commitment which turns into a habit and is seen as reliability. Over time reliability is tested in pressure. After losing all impurities, faithful one becomes complete.

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• Medium.com (the place where I post my stories first)
• Minds Page
• Abundant Life Chronicles Blog