The White Reclusive Male

If you grew up in the South or Mid-west, you no doubt have heard of, and possibly have had a personal encounter with loxosceles reclusa. They are abundant throughout the region and are know to be “synanthropic” which simply means their populations benefit when around humans, because humans create environments sympathetic to their survival. More commonly know as the Brown Recluse spider, this unique creature with six eyes, a violin on its stomach, tends to be nocturnal and by nature is quite shy. The brown recluse bites when threatened and has industrial strength venom. A bite from Loxosceles recluse will ruin your day and is a serious medial event.

Loxosceles reclusa’s populations can be significant when the environmental conditions for its habitation are favorable. But these populations are miniscule when compared to the skyrocketing demographics of the White Reclusive Male. More and more men, because of feelings of alienation created by hostile environments are retreating to a world inside of themselves. Retreating to an inner created reality, they live disjointed lives, emotionally detached from others. Ironically, their inner worlds are no less hostile than the real world. For their inner habitats contain: oceans of doubt, rivers of negativity, deserts of loneliness, mountains of fears, and islands of various addictive isolations. White reclusive males become trapped in the web of their inner worlds and are over time reduced to walking shells, sucked dry. When trapped inside the harsh topography of their scarred souls, they become hopeless, and not knowing how to get to the surface for a gulp of clean air and spiritual reality, they drown. As they begin the slow process of drowning; they strike out with venomous bites to all they brush up against, especially those in close living conditions.

I see and meet more White Reclusive Males everyday; isolated, living in their created realities, lashed to all their fears. Running from the truth of this world’s pain, they dive deeper into themselves and deeper into despair as they run into the on-coming massive Mack truck their own pain and sin. Jesus is in the business of rescuing souls from despair ravaged lives. He spoke two glorious truths when He told us;

In the world you will have tribulation, but BE OF GOOD CHEER!- I have overcome the world!

Be of good cheer. Don’t retreat into your own world with all it illusions and lies. Retreat into Jesus. Abide in Him and find rest. And having found that rest, go tell someone else. And as you go into the dark places, don’t be surprised if you are bitten, but fear not- if you carry the inoculation of believing faith, the strong medicine of love, and the hope of the resurrection you can destroy the strongest sin-spun webs.