Hey You - Check Out The Ants!!!
Ants…most people hate them. The get into your house and they take over, creating nests in every little nook and cranny they can squeeze into. They swarm over every minute piece of crumb, the pet’s food, and all over kitchen counters and pantries. Outside they swarm over BBQ’s, vegetable gardens, flower beds, and create nests in places that you don’t want them to. Basically, we see ants as pests to get rid of.
Despite their annoying habits, there is much to learn from from ants - aside from their ecological importance (which is a whole different topic for another day) - ants can teach us much. King Solomon (and others) spoke of them in the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 6:6-11 “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”
This is echoed again in Proverbs 30:25 “Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer…”
So, what are we to take away from these two scriptures? What can we learn from the humble ant so that we can become wise?
Here’s a few things we can take away from these proverbs.
Stop waiting for people to tell you to do something - often in the church, or at work, or even at home, we tend to let things slip by because no-one has asked us to do it. Doing something that someone hasn’t asked us to do is an actual act of love and charity. The small things matter - so do them. Also, it shows that you have and are willing to show initiative. Using your initiative shows maturity, shows wisdom and discernment - it guides you towards leadership. If you are always waiting for leaders to tell you what to do…well, it makes you a sheep.
Don’t be lazy - be active, and be active for the Kingdom of God, not necessarily your own desires and interests. Service, and a servant heart requires sacrifice. Ants do not go out and forage for food items for their own sake, or their own survival - they do it for the good of the colony, and its survival. The world is constantly telling us to go do for ourselves and go get for ourselves. But the way of God’s Kingdom is for us to go do for others. Laziness, real laziness (as apposed to relaxing after working hard) takes us making a decision to do nothing, to seek only instant gratification, and not to work for our own good and the good of others.
Get out there and work and work hard - If you want to be able to afford things, go work, go get re-skilled, don’t be stagnant in your employment. And I know this is often easier said than done. My family has lived through unemployment and poverty, I have been unemployed. But I strove to better myself and better my situation - mainly to provide for my family. Working is a biblical concept and it started all the way at the beginning with Adam and Eve maintaining the Garden of Eden.
Understand the seasons of life - Part of being mature, wise and understanding is to understand the seasons of life. Just like the seasons we experience from nature, there are seasons to life. There are dry periods when nothing seems to flourish and everything seems to die and wither away (just like a harsh summer). There are seasons when it seems as if blessings are poured out on us and our families (like the rains in winter). There are seasons of personal blossoming and growth (like springtime). Then there is the season where things cool off, they appear to be dormant, and dying off (like fall/autumn). Each has its own impact on our lives - both good and bad. There are seasons for rest, and seasons for working so very hard. There are times of waiting, and there are times of seeking and observation. Knowing what to do in these times is key to having a balanced and fruitful life for the Kingdom of God.
Store it away - Not every season is one of plentiful abundance. As much as you are able - store up things for the future. Be it clothes (especially winter clothes), food, blankets, water, money or wealth in the form of valuable assets (like a home). I know this isn’t easy to do - especially if you are living from pay check to pay check - I truly do (life isn’t easy for me either). But try to set aside resources for those seasons where you may not have enough. Remember also, what you store away might just be for you and your family - you may be able to turn around to bless others, even in your time of lack.
As we have read and seen, ants are not stagnant, lazy creatures. They go about working diligently for the purpose of maintaining the colony and ensuring its survival. We should emulate that in our own lives, not just to provide for our families, but also in how we renege with the Kingdom of God, and work for the glory of God, rather than personal glory and desires.
There is much to be learnt from the scriptures that mention and discuss the natural world. God created the natural world for us, and to show his power, authority and glory. We should take the time to listen to what God is saying through it.